Reading the Past to Change the Future - The Philosopher's Stone
by MontyPercyLover97
Summary: Harry has won the Triwizard Tournament, Cedric is dead, and Voldemort is back. Before he can process recent event, he and many others are invited to the Room of Requirement to read a very special set of books.
1. Back to School

Reading the past to change the future

Synopsis: Harry has won the Triwizard Tournament, Cedric is dead, and Voldemort is back. Before he can process recent events, he and many others are invited to the Room of Requirement to read a very special set of books.

Notes: Excuse the generic title but I love the Harry Potter characters reading the books fanfiction and decided to write my own. So this fic is taking place right at the beginning of OotP, so Harry is back at Hogwarts for his 5th year but it is only the start of term feast. There will be slightly Dumbledore bashing, but he does redeem himself here and, of course, there will be several M/M pairings. The fic will cover books 1 – 7 as separate fics so this one is only Philosopher's stone. Luna is a character featured in the story, I know Harry doesn't meet her until OotP but I am changing it so he meets her right at the beginning of Fifth Year.

Also FF and AO3 like taking down these types of fics. I have mine saved so I can repost if that happened. However, I am posting this fic on FF under MontyPercyLover97, A03 under Hanniballover97 and Wattpad under JodieCook7

Disclaimer: Everything you recognise belongs to J. K. Rowling, all the fluff and smut belongs to me.

Chapter 1 – Back to School

Today was a wonderful day for Harry Potter, he was finally returning to Hogwarts, leaving the nightmare of the Dursleys behind for another year. He was going home. Even though he had made the journey to Kings Cross Station countless times, the Hogwarts Express still held its own kind of magic for Harry. Ron and Hermione were prefects this year, so he was sharing a carriage with Neville and a curious blonde girl named Luna Lovegood. She was odd, but Harry liked that about her.

While there was a sense of nostalgia about returning to the castle, Harry couldn't cast from his mind the fact that Cedric was dead, and Voldemort was back. He hated being stuck here. Alone with nothing but his thoughts, his friends were chatting away, but it wasn't enough to distract him. His dreams were getting worse. Voldemort's high, cold, cruel laugh as he taunted him, his parents appearing before him and Cedric's lifeless eyes haunted him constantly. Harry was snapped from that dark place by a warm hand resting upon his knee. He turned to see Luna smiling at him.

"It's ok," she whispered, "we all have days like these, but we smile through the pain, right?"

Harry's eyes widened at the message hidden within that sentence. It was ok to feel this way, but people would worry unless he plastered on his perfect smile. He flashed the blonde that oh so fake smile, and she nodded, but he knew she understood.

It wasn't long before the train arrived at Hogsmeade Village, hundreds of children disembarked heading for the carriages. As the trio walked onwards, the light began to fade and for the first time Harry since he arrived at the castle at only 11, he was stunned. Before there was nothing pulling the carriage and now there stood a large, skeletal, Pegasus-like creature. Leathery wings folded against its side. It stood head and shoulders above Harry but didn't even move when he ran his hand down its flank.

"Harry… what are you looking at?" Neville asked curiously.

"Don't you see it Nev?"

"There's nothing there Harry, same as always."

"Don't listen to him Harry…" Luna said quietly, "I can see them too."

He took a step back, admiring the creature in all its glory. Its coal black eyes turned to him, assessing. It dragged its hooves along the ground as if it was telling him to hurry up and board, so he did. Seating himself beside Luna, he leant over to whisper in her ear as she read from her upside down magazine.

"Luna, what are they?" He jerked his head in the direction of the creatures.

"Thestrals. Amazingly gentle creatures despite their intimidating appearance. Yet lonely."

"Lonely?"

"Yes. They can only be seen by people who have seen death."

"Seen death… Cedric…" Harry whispered, mostly to himself.

"Yes. Only those who have seen someone die can see the thestrals, that's why they're lonely. Not many can see them."

Harry tugged at his cuffs, the question burning on his tongue.

Without missing a beat Luna replied.

"You want to know who I saw die?"

Harry nodded shyly.

"My mother. She liked to experiment and one day a spell went horribly wrong. I was nine."

Harry didn't know how to react. He wanted to say he was sorry, but he knew those words meant nothing - he heard them a million times. He just placed his hand on her knee as she had done earlier. They sat in silence for the rest of the ride, no words were spoken even as her hand slipped into his as they entered the castle. The pair walked silently alongside Neville who said nothing about their clasped hands even when they made their way to their separate tables in the Great Hall, his hand leaving hers reluctantly but not without a soft smile.

The feast passed in a blur as it did every year. Ron and Hermione were arguing over something stupid, Dean was trying yet again to explain football to Seamus and some others, Dumbledore made his weird speech before dismissing the students for bed. Harry wasn't tired, the nightmare that haunted him stopped him from returning to the common room. He slipped away in the crush of students, instead heading for the astronomy tower. It was the best place to not be found. He didn't want to be found tonight.

He crept up the stairs listening for signs of Filch, Peeves or even worse, Snape, but the only sound he could hear was his own racing heart. Sneaking out always gave him a little trill but tonight it was a hollow victory. His heart pounded harder, tears springing to his eyes as he thought of the Hufflepuff dorms missing a student. A student that would never return. He would never forget the mournful howls of Amos Diggory, the band fading to silence, Cho's quiet sobs. They would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Settling himself on the viewing platform he let the cool night air wash over him. He had thought about talking to Ron or Hermione, maybe even Neville but decided against it, this was his burden to bear. Plus, Harry had secrets of his own. He took a small package from his pocket, tearing open the plastic film. He placed a cigarette between his lips as he flicked open the lighter. The flame flickered slightly in the breeze but didn't die as he lit the end, pulling hard, filling his lungs with grey. As he exhaled, a little of his anxiety and guilt slipped away with it. As he took another drag, a tear slid down his cheek and before he could stop it, there were more following. Tonight, he would allow it. Tonight he would cry for Cedric and his parents before locking the emotions away until they spilled over once more.

Caught up in his thoughts, he didn't hear the footsteps behind him or the swish of the long cloak trailing behind the figure. Professor Severus Snape was on night duty, always on the lookout for students to dock points from. He thought he hit the jackpot when he came across Potter, spawn of the man he loathed and the woman he loved, sitting alone in the astronomy tower and smoking to boot. He was set to approach the boy and reprimand him, assigning detention and taking many house points but a small, broken sob stopped him dead in his tracks. He watched the boy's shoulders shake and realised he was crying. Despite hating the boy, Snape knew what he was feeling right now, the guilt at surviving when someone you could have saved was lost. But the boy couldn't have done anything. He hated the boy, but something flooded his chest, causing him to pause. He wanted to comfort the boy and tell him everything would be alright, but he couldn't give away his position like that.

Turning on his heel, Snape left the boy to his tears and the haze of clove-scented smoke.

When Harry woke the next morning, his throat felt dry and sore from a combination of crying till he was hoarse and smoking a few of his favourite clove cigarettes. His eyes were puffy and red. While he wasn't ready to face reality yet, he couldn't hide any longer.

The Great Hall should have been alive and rowdy with the students heading the breakfast, but it was sullen and quiet, even the Slytherin table was unnaturally subdued. Cedric's death had hit everyone hard and only a few believed the Dark Lord had returned only soured the mood even more. When he entered, a few students began whispering and pointing, the rumour mill was working harder than ever. No doubt most of them thought he was lying about Voldemort being back, but he couldn't bring himself to care right now.

He sat beside Ron who was already stuffing himself full of bacon, sausage and eggs but the thought of food turned Harry's stomach. Hermione was the opposite, buried in the paper; it brought a fleeting smile to Harry's face. His studious friend always had a plan. She looked at him over the edge of the Daily Prophet, her own eyes rimmed red much like his own. She offered him a small smile as he reached for the coffee, completely bypassing all of the food items.

"Not hungry, Harry?" Ron asked.

Harry just shook his head. A knowing look passed between Ron and Hermione but both opted to stay silent. Harry would talk to them when he was ready.

At the Head table, all the staff including Snape glanced towards the solemn Gryffindor, shoulder slumped over his mug, eyes downcast. Dumbledore knew the burden Harry carried and reminded himself to take Harry aside later. Remus Lupin, who has been reinstated as History Professor after Professor Binns had finally left the castle, could practically smell the grief flowing off his cub, his wolf whining, wanting to take the boys in his arms but he doubted it would help Harry right now.

As breakfast drew to a close, Harry slung his bag over his shoulder but didn't rise.

"You coming Harry? We don't want to be late for Transfiguration." Hermione said.

"Go on ahead, I'll catch up."

His bushy haired friend paused before nodding and dragging a protesting Ron away, leaving Harry in peace. One by one the students left for lessons until only Harry and the staff remained. Snape was the first to leave, his cloak billowing behind him. Sensing Harry wanted to be alone, Dumbledore rose and silently left, the other staff quickly following, although Remus hesitated before he too left the Hall.

As Remus left and turned towards his classroom, the silence hit Harry. Alone at last. He sat there for a moment longer, wanting to make these minutes stretch as long as he could. Tears threatened again but Harry pushed them back, he had to be strong for what was to come.

As Harry pulled himself together, a quiet pop drew him from his thoughts.

A letter floated down and landed on the table before him. It was addressed to him. Picking up the parchment with trembling hands, he cracked the wax seal and a neat emerald script greeted him. It read:

_Harry, I know this letter isn't going to arrive at the best of times for you. It is vital you read this letter and do exactly as it says._

_We are sending back 7 books detailing your life at Hogwarts. While the events of the first four books have already come to pass, there is little that can be done about them, but they still need to be read. It will gain you the allies you need for the upcoming battle and you may find something more you have been searching for._

_The last three books hold details of things that haven't yet come to pass. These will arm you with the knowledge you need to change the future, win the war and even prevent many people from dying. In the next hour you need to gather the people listed below in the Room of Requirement, ask Professor Dumbledore if you don't know where it is. The books will be waiting for you. _

_Hermione Granger_

_The Weasley Family – including Bill, Charlie and Percy._

_Severus Snape_

_Albus Dumbledore_

_Minerva McGonagall _

_Remus Lupin_

_Sirius Black_

_Nymphadora, Andromeda & Ted Tonks_

_Neville Longbottom_

_Luna Lovegood_

_Narcissa Malfoy_

_Dobby, Winky & Kreacher_

_Some memory vials will also be there to show you the outcome of the current course you are taking. While it is dangerous to meddle with time, we have deemed it necessary. Use this spell – memoria visum - so everyone can view the memories together without the aid of a pensieve._

_Good luck Harry. I feel you may need it. _

_T.R.L, J.S.P, A.S.P, L.L.P, R.N.W, H.A.W. & S.H.M_

_P.S. As soon as you enter the Room of Requirement, time will be frozen, and Harry, open your heart to others, don't lock yourself away. _

Harry stared at the letter in shock. Books for the future, this couldn't be real. But then again a few years ago he believed magic wasn't real. Jumping up, he fled the hall, heading for the Headmaster's office.


	2. Gathering

Disclaimer: Everything you recognise belongs to J. K. Rowling, all the fluff and smut belongs to me.

**Chapter 2 – Gathering**

Harry ran down the corridor, a smile on his face. He had a chance to end the war, end Voldemort and keep his friends and family safe. He yelled "Mars Bars" at the gargoyle, not breaking his stride even when he burst into Dumbledore's office; much to the surprise of the man himself.

Dumbledore's blue eyes sparkled over his half-moon spectacles as he petted his frazzled phoenix.

"What can I do for you Harry? If I recall you're supposed to be in Transfiguration right now."

"Sorry…Sir. But you… need to see this." Harry panted as he thrust the letter towards the man.

Dumbledore's eyes scanned the letter, widening as he popped a lemon drop into his mouth. He considered it for a moment before lifting his gaze to the panting Harry.

"Well… what are we waiting for?"

Harry beamed as Dumbledore rose, Fawkes perched on his shoulder.

"You gather your friends and I'll gather the others and meet you on the 7th floor. I believe Luna has Charms."

Harry turned to leave.

"Oh, Harry."

"Yes, sir?"

"Inform Professor McGonagall for me."

"Of course."

Harry headed to the Charms classroom first as he only had to collect Luna, so it would be easy to get her first, then head to the Transfiguration to get everyone else. Harry entered Flitwick's classroom, grabbing Luna from the front and shouting apologies to the Professor as he headed towards McGonagall's classroom.

The door banged open, McGonagall raised her eyes for marking essays to find a dishevelled Harry and beaming Luna.

"Mr. Potter, I do believe you're 40 minutes late." McGonagall snapped.

"Sorry Professor, I was with the Headmaster. I am to gather you, Ron, Hermione, and Neville to meet him on the 7th floor."

Ron, Hermione, and Neville rose quickly, packing their things away and baffled McGonagall following.

"Oh, guys, take Luna with you. I still need to get the twins and Ginny. Do you know where they are?"

Hermione spoke first.

"Ginny has Defence and the twins are in Potions."

Harry spun to head down towards the classrooms, only to see them running towards him; the Weasley clan and Professors following behind. He spotted Tonks' bubble-gum pink hair straight away, and the real Moody limping behind. He had been in the hospital wing with Harry last year and obviously wanted to check everything out before letting them rush in.

Harry also noticed how much Andromeda looked like Bellatrix, the same face and hair, although Mrs. Tonks' hair was a light brown to Bellatrix's black mane. Narcissa also had a striking resemblance to her sister but her blonde hair and pale blue eyes set her apart.

"Harry, my boy. We were just headed up. It will take a moment to get up all the stairs." Dumbledore said with a laugh.

"Don't worry Professor, I know a shortcut." Harry winked.

He led the group to an unassuming statue finding the loose brick and pushing it in to reveal a slanting passageway. He had a feeling the Headmaster already knew about this one, and as the group appeared on the other end in front of the portrait of Barnabas the Barmy teaching ballet to trolls, he asked the castle for the room mentioned in the letter. The door appeared, swinging open, inviting them in.

The group headed in to find a roaring fire, tea and coffee was being laid out by the 3 house elves. Dobby bounced over to Harry, leading him to the sole armchair closest to the fire. A ring of sofas surrounded them, and everyone shuffled into place looking at Harry.

Harry took a quick sip of his coffee, noting the only other people sharing his love of the beverage were Mrs. Tonks and Snape. Everyone else had tea, with the exception of Remus who had hot chocolate. Dobby must have remembered the Professor's chocolate addiction. A shaggy, black dog lay at Remus' feet. Noticing Harry, the dog bounded over, launching at Harry, licking all over his face.

"Come on, Snuffles. No licking please."

As the dog relented, Harry laughed. Ron and Hermione, who had not heard him laugh almost all year, looked hopeful that things would get better for their friend.

"Right. You are all probably wondering why you are here."

"Obviously, Mr. Potter." Snape hissed at the boy.

"Severus, please."

At Albus' command, the man huffed and settled on the end of the sofa furthest away from the boy.

Harry quickly recounted the details of the letter and everyone's eyes widened.

"Books for the future?" Hermione gasped.

"That's impossible." Snape snapped.

"Settle down, everyone."

The chatter stopped as the Headmaster spoke. Before he could say anything more, a loud pop rang out and 7 books fell onto the table. The title of the topmost book glared at Harry. **Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.**

"Ready?" Harry asked.

21 heads nodded and the 3 house elves settled themselves near Harry's feet, cushions appearing for them.

"This is a book about my life…"

Snape scoffed.

"…it holds details of the past which I will find uncomfortable and details of the future we can change. Together."

Everyone seemed to hold their breath as Harry commanded the attention of everyone in the room.

"We will take turns in reading chapters. We don't have to worry about food as my friends here…" Harry gestured to the house elves "… can provide that…"

"Also, anything else we need while we are here will be provided by the room." Dumbledore interjected.

"While we are here, I have suspended lessons and the other Heads of Houses and staff will be taking care of your pupils, Severus, Minerva."

He turned to Harry.

"Who will start?"

"I will." Harry said, "Then we will pass it around, so no one has to read too much."

Harry settled back into his chair, feeling the weight of the book in his hands. It would contain secrets he had kept for most of his life, secrets he kept from his family and friends, but if it meant saving people he would give them away. He just hoped they didn't react badly.

"**Chapter One… The Boy Who Lived."**


	3. The Beginning

Disclaimer: Everything you recognise belongs to J. K. Rowling, all the fluff and smut belongs to me.

Quick Note: So the seating arrangement is as following, going from the sofa closest to Harry on the left. I am also setting 5 people max per sofa.

Sofa 1: Molly, Arthur, Ginny, Bill, Charlie

Sofa 2: Fred, George, Neville, Luna, Remus (Sirius in dog form)

Sofa 3: Ron, Hermione, McGonagall, Nymphadora and Moody

Sofa 4: Snape, Andromeda, Ted, (empty space – for Sirius later), Narcissa.

**Chapter 3 – The Beginning**

Harry took a sip of coffee as he began to read.

"**Mr. and Mrs. Dursley…"**

"Who are they?" Neville asked.

"My aunt and uncle." Harry muttered without looking up.

"… **of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much." Harry snorted and gave the twins a knowing smile.**

"… **They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious; because they just didn't hold with such nonsense. Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills."**

"What are drills?" Arthur asked, his head cocked in confusion.

Harry didn't need to answer as Hermione did.

"There are tools used for building Mr. Weasley. They make holes in things."

"Oh. Wonderful."

Harry softened at his father figure's reaction.

"**He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large moustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbours. The Dursleys had a small boy named Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere."**

Harry reached the end of the paragraph as Ron burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. The adults looked at him in confusion, but Harry's smile only grew as Ron wheezed, over and over trying to stifle his giggling.

Harry shook his head but continued.

"…**The Dursleys had everything…" Harry scowled at the book. They did but he never got any. "…everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters."**

"There's nothing wrong with them." Remus growled.

Ron and Hermione saw the hurt look in Harry's eyes at the mention of his parents, although no one else seemed to notice it.

Harry cleared his throat and Remus quieted.

"**Mrs Potter was Mrs Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years…"**

Narcissa and Andromeda glanced at each other.

"… **in fact, Mrs Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be."**

Remus and Snuffles both growled as the book called their friend good-for-nothing.

"unDursleyish isn't a word." Hermione huffed.

"**The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbours would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away, they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that."**

Harry heard several sharp intakes of breath, but it was Arthur who spoke.

"Harry, do they still think like that?"

Harry didn't look up, he just shrugged, returning his attention to the book.

"**When Mr and Mrs Dursley woke up on the dull, grey Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work and Mrs Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his highchair."**

Harry chuckled at the image.

"**None of them notice a large tawny owl flutter past the window."**

At the mention of the owl, Harry felt a pang in his chest, he hadn't visited Hedwig in a while. As if sensing his desire for his friend, the owl appeared in the room, hooting as she perched on the arm of Harry's chair, rubbing against his hand and he smoothed her feathers.

"Hey girl. Miss me?"

She nipped his fingers in annoyance but soon relented under his smoothing fingers.

"Missed you too."

Luna smiled at the exchange, thinking that Harry had a really strong bond with his owl.

"**At half past eight, Mr Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs Dursley on the cheek and tried to kiss Dudley goodbye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls. 'Little tyke', chortled Mr Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive."**

Molly huffed, muttering something about bad parenting, the twins sank into their seats. Harry took another sip of coffee, observing the others as the bitter liquid revived him. Everyone was so focused on him they hadn't noticed Sirius changing from his dog form, his head resting against Remus' leg. Harry snorted.

"Sirius, if you're going to be human at least sit on the sofa."

Heads spun to escapee, gasps ringing out, but no one said anything as Harry got up and drew the man into a tight hug, holding him close as if he was going to disappear at any moment.

"Sure thing, pup."

He sat between Narcissa and Andromeda. He looked left at Andromeda.

"Hello, cousin."

Andromeda smiled as she squeezed his hand, he looked right to Narcissa.

"Hello, cousin."

Narcissa nodded.

"Continue prongslet."

Harry glared at his godfather.

"And who do you think you are talking to?"

"Sorry, oh, Mr. wise and powerful, do continue with your wonderful tale."

"Ass." Harry whispered to barking laughter but continued, nonetheless.

"**It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar – a cat reading a map."**

Sirius snorted.

"I bet you that's Minnie."

"Don't call me Minnie, Mr. Black."

Sirius' barking laughter filled the room, a warm feeling expanding in Harry's chest at the sight of his godfather.

"I'll take that bet, cousin." Tonks said.

"Put your money where your mouth is, darling." Sirius cooed, setting 5 galleons down on the table.

Tonks smirked, setting her own coins on the table.

"**For a second…" **Harry continued, **"Mr Dursley didn't realise what he had seen – then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight."**

"Definitely Minnie."

"Mr. Black!"

"Oh, come on. You know you love me." Sirius chortled at the annoyed Professor, who only huffed in response.

"**What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light."**

"What else could it have been hmm…? Magic, maybe?" Hermione stated.

"**Mr Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back."**

"I have to say Minerva, it does sound an awful lot like you." Albus deadpanned.

"**As Mr Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive – no, looking at the sign, cats couldn't read maps or signs. Mr Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind."**

"Along with all his intellect and wit." Harry muttered.

"**As he drove towards town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day. But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks."**

Minerva sighed, rubbing her forehead. "So much for the Statute of Secrecy."

"**Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes…"**

"Hey, they aren't funny!" Sirius stated, rather loudly.

"They are for muggles, Siri. Muggles don't wear cloaks." Harry said plainly.

"Oh, right."

"…**the get-ups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of those weirdos standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all, why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald green cloak! The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt – these people were obviously collecting for something… yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on, and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived in the Grunnings car park, his mind back on drills."**

"Harry?"

"Yes, Luna."

"Oh, nothing. I just wanted to say your name."

Harry smiled at the blonde girl's odd behaviour, but his heart raced as he remembered the feeling on her hand in his.

"**Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. He didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did, they pointed and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl even at night-time. Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning."**

"Not anymore."

"Why'd you say that Harry?"

"Hedwig here…" he said, ruffling with owl's feathers, "likes to wake dear Mr. Dursley up at least one hour before his alarm, a little payback."

Hermione shook her head smiling.

"**He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more. He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road…"**

Harry choked on his coffee.

"That man doesn't walk anywhere!"

"…to buy himself a bun from the baker's opposite."

"That makes sense."

"**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This lot were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.**

'**The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard-'**

'—**yes, their son, Harry—'**

**Mr Dursley stopped dead."**

"If only."

Everyone held their breath.

"**Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it."**

"Never stopped him before."

"**He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone and had…"**

"Harry, that's the wrong word."

"No, it isn't Ron."

"I thought it was called a feletone."

"I did too, son."

"No, Ron, Mr. Weasley, it's called a telephone."

"I'll have to remember that." Arthur muttered.

"…**almost finished dialling his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his moustache, thinking… no, he was being stupid."**

"Well, at least he admitted it."

"**Potter wasn't such an unusual name."**

"There's only one. Our one." Remus sadly announced.

Most cast their eyes down as Minerva dabbed her eyes with her tartan handkerchief.

"**He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry."**

"Unfortunately, no." Harry replied.

"You're talking to a book mate."

"I know, Ron." Harry sighed.

"**Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew was called Harry. He'd never even seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold."**

The twins couldn't contain their laughter at the words. Harry scowled at them.

"All right there, Harvey?"

"Or is it Harold?"

"Can it!"

Harry tuned out their snickering as he read on.

"**There was no point in worrying Mrs Dursley, she always got so upset at any mention of her sister."**

"She hasn't changed." Snape muttered. The only ones close enough to hear were Moody and Andromeda, who opted to ignore the comment.

"**He didn't blame her – if he'd had a sister like that…but all the same, those people in cloaks… He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon, and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door. 'Sorry' he grunted…"**

"Did I read that right?" Harry scanned the words again "…apparently I did."

"…**as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr Dursley realised that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground."**

"Is it just me Albus, or does that sound a lot like Filius?"

"Indeed it does."

"**On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passers-by stare: 'Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating this happy, happy day!"**

"Definitely Filius." Albus whispered as Minerva nodded rather vigorously. Both knew the Charms professor could get a tad enthusiastic after one too many Ogden's.

"**And the old man hugged Mr Dursley around the middle and walked off. Mr Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination.**

**As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw – and it didn't improve his mood – was the tabby cat he'd spotted this morning."**

"How did he know that?" Sirius asked.

"**It was sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one, it had the same markings around its eyes."**

"Well, that answered your question, Sirius." Remus replied.

"'**Shoo!' said Mr Dursley loudly. The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look."**

"100% Minnie."

"And why do you say that Mr Black?" Minerva said, giving him her signature look. Sirius slumped in his seat, wilting under the professor's stern gaze.

"….."

"I thought so."

"**Was this normal cat behaviour, Mr Dursley wondered."**

Sirius didn't reply, but he pouted like a scolded child.

"**Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife. Mrs Dursley had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley learnt a new word ('Shan't!')."**

"Someone should really sort that child out." Molly chided.

"Too late." Harry spat at the mention of his cousin.

"**Mr Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news. **

'**And finally, bird watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern.' The news reader allows himself a grin. 'Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?'**

'**Well, Ted,' said the weatherman…"**

Harry paused looking over at Mr. Tonks, who had a large grin on his face. He caught Harry's stare.

"Yes lad, that's me alright."

Tonks looked over at her father wide-eyed.

"That's you dad?"

"Yes, Dora. I used to report the muggle news, which was… interesting."

Andromeda snorted at her husband's response.

"…'**I don't know about that, but it's not only owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early – it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a very wet night tonight.'"**

"That was definitely Dedalus Diggle. No matter how much he denies it, that man never had much sense!" Minerva sighed.

"**Mr Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters…**

**Mrs Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. 'Er – Petunia, dear – you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?'**

**As he had expected, Mrs Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister. 'No,' she said sharply. 'Why?'**

'**Funny stuff on the news,' Mr Dursley mumbled. 'Owls… shooting stars… and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today…'**

'**So?' snapped Mrs Dursley.**

'**Well, I thought… maybe… it was something to do with… you know… her lot.'"**

"Her lot! What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"While I agree with you Sirius, maybe we should let Harry finish."

"But Remus… he… he!"

"Sit down, Sirius."

Sirius stared hard at his friend.

"Now!" Remus snapped, his eyes flashing amber.

After a tense minute Sirius relented and sat, arms folded across his chest, anger written all over his face.

"**Mrs Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name 'Potter'. He decided he didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could. 'Their son – he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?'**

'**I suppose so,' said Mrs Dursley stiffly.**

'**What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?'**

'**Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me,'"**

"Well, no one's asking you! Harry is a wonderful name."

"Thanks Mione."

"'**Oh, yes,' said Mr Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. 'Yes, I quite agree.'**

**He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it was waiting for something. **

**Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did… if it got out that they were related to a pair of – well, he didn't think he could bear it. **

**The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs Dursley fell asleep quickly, but Mr Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs Dursley. The Potters knew well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind… He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on. He yawned and turned over. It couldn't affect them…**

**How very wrong he was.**

**Mr Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed in the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all."**

"Is it nearly time for lunch?" Ron asked.

"Ronald, it's barely half past 10. Do you think about anything else?"

"Not really. But it doesn't change the fact I'm hungry."

Hermione sighed.

"**A man appeared on the corner that the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground."**

"Must be a wizard apperating." Moody muttered, the first sound from the auror. "Fool."

"**The cat's tail twitched, and its eyes narrowed."**

"It has to be someone Minnie knows."

"**Nothing like this man had ever been seen in Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak which swept the ground and high-heeled, buckled boots."**

"This man is sounding very familiar." Harry stated, casting a sideways glance at the Headmaster who smiled in response.

"**His blue eyes were light, bright and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles…"**

"DUMBLEDORE!" several voices chanted.

"…**and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice."**

"3 times actually."

"**This man's name was Albus Dumbledore."**

"Knew it." Ron chimed.

"We all did, Ron."

"**Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realise that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome. He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realise he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, 'I should have known.'"**

"Prepare to lose, Dora."

"In your dreams. And, call me that again and I'll hex your bal…"

"MISS TONKS!"

"..ls off!"

The twins looked at the young auror, her hair now a mixture of red, orange and blonde, resembling the flickering flame of the fire.

"You know Tonks…"

"You're pretty ballsy…"

"We like it!"

"**He had found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter."**

At the mention of this Harry paused, leaning down, he whispered in Dobby's ear, who nodded and popped away.

Hermione cocked her head in confusion, while Ron just looked at his friend.

Dobby returned a moment later holding a small box in one hand and a small silver object in his other. He promptly handed them to Harry who patted his small friend on the head.

"What's that Harry?"

Harry just looked at Hermione as he drew a clove cigarette from the box and lit it with the lighter. He inhaled deeply, exhaled grey.

"Harry! You're too young to smoke." Molly howled.

"But old enough to die."

Molly fell silent at that.

Propping the cigarette between his lips, he read on.

No one else commented on his habit, not even Snape, but the Potions professor already knew.

"**He flicked it open, held it up in the air and clicked it. The nearest streetlamp went out with a little pop. He clicked it again – the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clocked the Put-Outer…"**

"It's called a deluminator, actually."

"How did you know that, sir?" Hermione asked, curious as ever.

"I invented it."

"Awesome." Ron whispered.

Albus just smiled.

"…**until the only lights left in the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their windows now, even beady-eyed Mrs Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street towards number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat."**

Sirius leaned forward, eager for the identity of the cat to be revealed.

"**He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.**

'**Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall.'"**

Sirius leapt up. "I knew it! I fricking knew it! Hand 'em over."

Tonks reluctantly slid the 5 coins over to join Sirius' as he swept them up and put them in his pocket, a knowing grin plastered on his face. He thumped back into his seat.

"**He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone."**

"Where'd it go?" Ron asked.

Hermione slapped a hand to her forehead in exasperation.

"**Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman…"**

"Well, thank you Mister Potter."

"I didn't write it, only read it."

"…**who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one."**

"That's like the third time the colour emerald's been mentioned." Hermione stated.

"Well, it's a lovely colour." Luna said dreamily.

"It's also Professor McGonagall's favourite colour."

Said professor and several others stared at Harry in shock.

"How did you know that, Mister Potter?"

"You more often than not wear an emerald cloak, you use emerald chalk in class, and you correct your essays with green ink, it was a natural assumption, and you just confirmed it."

Minerva blinked in shock, but shot Harry a pleased smile.

"**Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.**

'**How did you know it was me?' she asked.**

'**My dear professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly.'**

'**You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day,' said Professor McGonagall.**

'**All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here.'**

**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.**

'**Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right,' said impatiently. 'You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no – even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news.' She jerked her head back at the Dursley's dark living-room window. 'I heard it. Flocks of owls… shooting stars… Well they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent – I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense.'"**

"You've already said that Minnie."

"'**You can't blame them,' said Dumbledore gently. 'We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years.'"**

Some of those in the room had lost friends and relatives to the first war. Molly's head collapsed as she thought of her brothers, who she saw every day in her own twins.

Before the mood could fall anymore, Harry pressed on.

"'**I know that,' said Professor McGonagall irritably. 'But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumours.'**

**She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. 'A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seemed to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?'"**

Harry knew what day they were referring to, the day he became an orphan.

"'**It certainly seems so,' said Dumbledore. 'We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a sherbet lemon?'**

'**A what?"**

"They are a muggle sweet, Professor."

"'**A sherbet lemon. They're a kind of muggle sweet I'm rather fond of."**

"Professor, Hermione already said that." Fred jested.

Dumbledore chuckled.

"'**No, thank you,' said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for sherbet lemons. 'As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone –'**

'**My dear professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense – for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort."**

"You're wrong, Professor." Harry exclaimed.

"Hmmm?"

"Voldemort…"

Several people flinched.

"Oh, grow up. Voldemort… isn't even his real name."

Snape raised an eyebrow.

"Well, enlighten us then, Mister Potter."

"His real name is Tom Marvolo Riddle Jr, Son of Merope Gaunt and Tom Marvolo Riddle – a muggle."

Snape's eyes widened.

"Which means despite all the pureblood bollocks he spews, he himself is a half-blood."

"Very true, Harry. But may I ask how you know this?"

"He told me." Harry shrugged.

"What?!" Exclaimed several people.

"In the graveyard, he told me I stood on the bones of his filthy muggle father."

"Muggles aren't filthy." Hermione defended.

"I know Mione, he's just nuts."

Sirius snickered at that.

"**Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore who was unsticking two sherbet lemons, seemed not to notice. 'It all gets so confusing if we keep saying "You-Know-Who". I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."**

"I second that, Professor." Luna said softly.

"Me too." Echoed Hermione.

"**I know you haven't' said Professor McGonagall, sounding half-exasperated, half-admiring. 'But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know – oh, all right, Voldemort – was frightened of.'**

'**You flatter me,' said Dumbledore calmly. 'Voldemort had powers I will never have.'**

'**Only because you're too – well – noble to use them.'**

'**It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs.'**

Ron and Sirius turned a little green at the thought.

"**Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, 'The owls are nothing to the rumours that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?'**

Harry knew what was coming.

"**It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever 'everyone' was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another sherbet lemon and did not answer.**

'**What they're saying,' she pressed on, 'is that last night Voldemort turned up in…"**

Harry suddenly stopped reading, a lump in his throat. His eyes shining with unshed tears. Luna rose from her seat and silently made her way over to Harry's chair, bending down to whisper in his ear.

"Are you alright Harry?"

The boy shrugged.

"If you don't want to continue I'll take over."

Harry stared up at the blonde girl, her blue eyes were completely sincere. When Harry spoke his voice was strong but shaky.

"This… this is something that I… have to confront Luna. Sooner or later."

The girl nodded.

At Harry's words, several people realized that Harry had never processed his parent's death. Sirius and Remus who had lost 3 of their friends became sullen. They lost two to death and that was easier to accept than losing one to betrayal.

"…**Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumour is that…"**

Harry breathed deep before he spoke the words.

"…**that Lily and James Potter are – are – that they're dead. Dumbledore bowed his head."**

The real Dumbledore along with everyone else bowed their heads in respect for the dead, so no one saw the lone tear making its way down Harry's cheek.

"**Professor McGonagall gasped."**

The room was solemn and silent as Harry desperately wanted this chapter to be over.

"**Lily and James… I can't believe it… I didn't want to believe it… Oh, Albus…"**

"I still can't believe it."

"**Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder, 'I know… I know' he said heavily. Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. 'That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potters' son, Harry. But – he couldn't."**

Harry took a deep breath.

"**He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke – and that's why he's gone.' Dumbledore nodded glumly. **

'**It's – it's true?' faltered Professor McGonagall. 'After all he's done… all the people he's killed…"**

Harry paused at the soft sob from Molly as she remembered her own brothers who had lost their lives in the First Wizarding War, Arthur whispered softly into her ear and stroked her auburn mane.

"…**he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding… of all the things to stop him… but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?'**

'**We can only guess,' said Dumbledore. 'We may never know.'"**

"That's a lie Professor, you know perfectly well how I survived and one day I'm going to make you tell me." Harry said without looking up from the page. Dumbledore just nodded at the statement, knowing that by the time they finished reading these books, so many secrets would be revealed, not just from Harry's past but his own, Severus' and Voldemort's too.

"**Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge."**

"My mother gave me that watch when I was a child, she called us her little stars, except me, I was little moon."

"Us?" Ron asked.

"Me, my brother Aberforth, who we will probably learn about later on and my sister."

Harry found it strange that he mentioned his brother by name but not his sister. Harry was the only one who understood the look in the Headmaster's eyes. It was grief. Harry turned his gaze to Ron, the hard look stopping any further questions.

"**It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, 'Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?'**

'**Yes,' said Professor McGonagall. 'And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places?'**

'**I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now.'**

Harry's mood darkened, the air around them turning cold and icy.


	4. Anger

Disclaimer: Everything you recognise belongs to J. K. Rowling, all the fluff and smut belongs to me.

Quick Note: So the seating arrangement is as following, going from the sofa closest to Harry on the left. I am also setting 5 people max per sofa.

Sofa 1: Molly, Arthur, Ginny, Bill, Charlie

Sofa 2: Fred, George, Neville, Luna, Remus

Sofa 3: Ron, Hermione, McGonagall, Nymphadora and Moody

Sofa 4: Snape, Andromeda, Ted, Sirius, Narcissa.

**Chapter 4 – Anger**

Ice began to form on the arms of Harry's chair, a frozen mist sprouted sending the occupants in the room into a panic. The 3 house elves leapt away shivering, and most of the others in the room sat stunned at the young boy's display of power. The only two that had any clue of what to do were Luna and Severus. They knew Harry needed to be calmed immediately before he hurt someone.

Luna wanted to comfort Harry but had no idea what you could say to someone that had been hurt the way he had. She didn't know how he'd been hurt but she knew. The anger in those emerald eyes said enough. Severus on the other hand knew exactly how Harry was feeling; he had felt it himself. Anger, hurt and betrayal caused by the people that were supposed to care for you. The temperature in the room dropped further, his breath forming small clouds. He needed to do something, anything.

The room, sensing his need, formed another room and Severus knew he had to get Harry into it now. He used the stealth he'd developed during decades as a spy, he moved around the back of the sofa, moving steadily towards the boy. Reaching the boy's chair he noticed the tears sliding down his cheeks and the hissing. The boy was a Parselmouth!

The only ones aware of this hissing were Granger and Weasley as they were closest to Potter. Grabbing the boy by his arm, Severus hauled him towards the new room. Harry kicked and screamed, but Severus had no choice, he could feel the boy's magic building. Severus launched Harry and himself inside the room, the door slamming shut behind them as Harry's magic exploded, blowing Severus back. His head colliding with the wall, lights danced before his eyes. A wet warmth trickled down his cheek and he knew he was bleeding. Severus slumped dazed to the floor, the boy was hunched, trembling before him.

Minutes passed, Severus could hear Albus outside asking if they were okay but before he could reply wards shot up around the room, sealing them in. Severus raised himself up, his ears ringing, head throbbing. He turned his attention to the boy curled up whimpering on the floor, trembling fiercely. Severus quickly assessed himself, there was no major damage, but he would need a pain reliever and something for his headache once they returned. He moved towards the boy slowly, knowing he would be jumpy.

"Potter, are you okay?"

Silence apart from rasping breaths.

"Potter?"

Nothing again.

"Harry?" Severus' tone softened as he addressed the boy.

Ever so slowly the boy relaxed from his curled position, turning to face his professor.

"Sir?" Harry's voice was hoarse from screaming, his eyes red and puffy behind his glasses. Tear tracks painted his face as his lower lip trembled still.

"Are you okay?"

"I think so."

Harry met Severus' eyes, noting the blood running down his cheek. The boy shot up, latching onto Severus' chin, tilting his face to inspect the wound on his head. Severus hissed at the calloused finger prodding at the cut and the touch instantly softened.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

Severus sighed.

"It's nothing. I've had worse."

"I know."

Severus wondered how the boy could know, but then he knew Harry would react the way he did without knowing much about his life outside of school.

"It doesn't need stitches, it shouldn't leave a scar." Harry added shyly.

"Even if it did, it would only be another to add to my collection." Severus chuckled darkly.

"It shouldn't be."

Severus raised his eyes to Harry only to notice that his eyes were locked on the stone floor, tears threatening once more.

Severus reached out to clasp the boy's shoulder.

"Better me than someone else."

Harry gasped at the touch meeting Severus' gaze, a light blush staining his cheeks. Severus thought it was rather cute before he stamped that thought down. Since the incident with Lupin in the boy's 3rd year, Severus had come to admire his bravery and determination. Then last year in the tournament he had noticed the physical changes, Harry grew taller and began to fill out his lanky frame. He was beautiful with his emerald green eyes, full lips and stained cheeks.

Severus could have controlled himself, but he found that he didn't really want to in this moment. He knew that if Harry rejected him, he wouldn't never speak a word of it to anyone, that's just who Harry was. For the first time since Lily's death, he was taking what he wanted.

The older man leant forward and connected his lips with Harry's.

The boy's eyes widened.

Harry registered the pressure of his professor's thin lips upon his own fuller ones. He didn't understand, he was stunned, unable to respond.

As those lips moved away, Harry blinked.

"I'm sorry."

His professor began to move away. Before he could think Harry's hand clenched fistfuls of those black robes pulling the older man back. It was Severus' turn to be stunned as the lithe boy slid into his lap, fingers clenched in his robes bringing them chest to chest, able to feel each panting breath the other took.

"Why did you do that?" Harry's voice was barely a whisper.

Severus swallowed.

"Because I wanted to."

Green eyes meet black as they gravitated towards each other once more, unable to deny this feeling growing between them. This time when their lips met, Harry's eyes slid closed enjoying the light pressure. Moving himself closer so he was flush against Severus, Harry sighed giving Severus the perfect opportunity to insert his tongue into the teen's mouth.

Harry fidgeted as Severus' tongue swept through his mouth before slowly coaxing his own to come out and play. Harry lost track of time but when they broke away they were both panting, chests heaving. Neither spoke.

Severus cupped Harry's cheek, his thumb running over the boy's kiss swollen lips. Harry returned the gesture but avoided the man's injured forehead, instead he ran his hand through those strands of onyx hair. It felt baby fine and so soft, not greasy at all.

Severus sighed at the intimate gesture, his eyes sliding closed, just enjoying the closeness before it had to end.

"We shouldn't do this."

He hadn't spoken the words, but it didn't change the truth behind them.

"I know." Severus' heart hurt as he spoke the words. He was destined to be alone, after all he was a Death Eater and a spy. Love was for the weak and he couldn't afford to be weak, and neither could Harry.

"But…"

Hope fluttered in his chest as Harry spoke.

"But?"

Severus allowed himself to hope as his heart began to race.

"But… I don't care."

Severus' jaw dropped as Harry's free hand slid up his chest, resting over his racing heart.

"And neither do you, Professor."

Severus surged forward, wrapping his arms around Harry's waist, one hand sliding up to the boy's shoulder, the other to his hip.

"Cheeky. Impudent. Brat."

Each word was punctuated with a kiss.

"And you love it."

Harry froze at his own words.

"I do."

"What?"

"I do love it. I love how brave you are. I love how you defend your friends no matter the cost to you. I love the way you look after Quidditch practice, all windswept hair and flushed cheeks. I even love the way you look when you cry, those emerald eyes flooding with tears. I love how broken and utter perfect you are, Harry Potter and I always will."

"Oh."

"That's all I get? 'Oh'?"

"I don't know what else I can say."

Severus buried his face in Harry's chest, hoping to hide the fear in his eyes. The fear of rejection, of humiliation, of losing someone else he loved dearly. He had loved Lily but in the way a brother loves his sister, but Harry he truly loved. Harry he would die for, he had known it from the moment the boy set foot in the school 4 years ago.

"I do actually…"

Severus squeezed tighter.

"I don't know if I love you, I have never been loved before by anyone. But…"

"You were so loved Harry. Lily and James both loved you so much."

"I know. But I never got to feel it. The closest I've got to feeling that love is from Molly and Arthur, but they have their own children to worry about."

Severus stayed silent holding the boy close as he poured his heart out.

"I don't know if I love you, but I've always watched you. I've watched you protect so many people; not just your Slytherins. I've watched you take aside students who need more support than others. I know you care so deeply, and I want to see where this goes."

For the first time since he held Lily's body in his arms, Severus allowed himself to cry.

Severus trembled in Harry's arms, Harry buried himself in Severus' hair, breathing in his scent. Sandalwood, fire smoke and something vaguely spicy yet distinctly Severus. For the time in the lives of either man they allowed themselves to be vulnerable in the arms of another, to give the hearts they had long since locked away to someone who would protect it with everything they had.

As tears dried, the embrace remained. Harry would have once feared long stretches of silence, he feared it no more in Severus' arms. Harry smiled into Severus' hair as the man sighed against his chest.

"Harry, we've got to go back."

"I don't want to."

"We can't stay here forever, love."

"I know. I know."

Harry reluctantly pulled back.

"Don't worry, Harry. I don't know what caused that reaction back there…"

Harry stiffened, but Severus' soothing hands relaxed him once more.

"I don't know what caused it and I'm not going to ask. You can tell me when you're ready but remember this Harry, I've been through it all too."

He laid his forehead gently against Harry's, mindful of his wound.

"You can trust me."

"I know." Harry breathed against his lips.

Harry quickly pulled Severus in for a chaste kiss before rising, holding his hand out for Severus to take.

"Let's go."

As quickly as the wards appeared, they fell. Harry entwined his fingers with Severus' as they stepped out into the reading room once more.


	5. Beginning

Disclaimer: Everything you recognise belongs to J. K. Rowling, all the fluff and smut belongs to me.

Quick Note: So the seating arrangement is as following, going from the sofa closest to Harry on the left. I am also setting 5 people max per sofa.

Sofa 1: Molly, Arthur, Ginny, Bill, Charlie

Sofa 2: Fred, George, Neville, Luna, Remus

Sofa 3: Ron, Hermione, McGonagall, Nymphadora and Moody

Sofa 4: Snape, Andromeda, Ted, Sirius, Narcissa.

**Chapter 5 – Beginning**

As they entered the room, everyone was back in their seats, waiting. All except Sirius and Molly who were anxiously pacing either side of the room. Severus' hand slipped from Harry's as he returned to his position, his eyes meeting Harry's with a warmth Harry had never seen in them before. No one seemed to notice except the ever observant Luna as Ron and Hermione rushed to his side.

"Are you okay, Harry?"

"Mate, what was that?"

Harry smiled gently at Severus.

"I won't say it was nothing… because it wasn't…"

Everyone was listening to Harry's quiet confession.

"I'm not ready to talk about it yet, but I will… soon…"

Ron floundered but Hermione nodded before gently returning them both to their seats, Harry following behind. As he sat once more, Dobby held out his cigarettes and refilled his mug. Harry gave his little friend a grateful pat, picking up the book once more.

Harry placed the pack in his shirt pocket, finding where he had left off. Breathing deep he began to read.

'**You don't mean – you can't mean the people who live here?' cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. 'Dumbledore – you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son – I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets…'**

"If one of my children acted like that, they would be taking a one way trip over my knee, toddler or not!" exclaimed Molly.

Ron and the twins flushed deeply, ducking their heads.

'**Harry Potter, come and live here?!'**

'**It's the best place for him,' said Dumbledore firmly. 'His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter.'**

'**A letter?' repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. 'Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter?'**

"Not my finest idea."

'**These people will never understand him!'**

Harry knew his professor didn't know how right she was.

'**He'll be famous – a legend – I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future…'**

"Thank god there's not…"

"I don't think young Harold could fit his head in the Great Hall if it was."

The twins joked.

Harry cast them a dark look and they quieted instantly. It would not do to upset their benefactor.

'…**there will be books written about Harry – every child in our world will know his name!'**

'**Exactly,' said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. 'It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk or talk! Famous for something he won't even remember!'**

Harry stopped, confused by the words because he did remember, from the dreams he'd had as a child to the vivid images occupying Hagrid's story to the dementors. He'd always remembered.

"I do…" Harry whispered.

All eyes turned to him.

"What was that my boy?" The Headmaster asked.

"I do… remember. I always have."

Hermione gasped at the revelation.

"Surely you can't? You were only a baby…" Molly said.

Harry smiled. They all wondered why he was smiling when he could remember their deaths.

"It's the only true memory I have of them… of her… I remember her pleading for my life, I remember her screams as he killed her and him laughing… laughing at her pain. I remember looking into his eyes as he turned his wand on me…"

The occupants of the room were stunned but said nothing as the boy continued.

"All I remember after that is the curse and the darkness."

Before anyone could say anything he began to read once more.

'**Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?'**

"I understand your intentions… but… I don't think I'll ever truly forgive you." Harry's hushed words were obviously directed at Dumbledore who only bowed his head, nodding slow.

'**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed and then said, 'Yes – yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?' She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.**

Even Harry had to chuckle at that.

'**Hagrid's bringing him.' **

'**You think it – wise – to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?'**

'**I would trust Hagrid with my life,' said Dumbledore.**

"Me too, sir. Just not my secrets."

Albus laughed softly at that, knowing how easy it was to get information from the half giant.

'**I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place,' said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, 'but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to – what was that?'**

"I don't know!" Ron exclaimed.

Harry snorted at his friend.

'**A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky – and a huge motorbike fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.'**

"Wicked!" the twins yelled.

'**If the motorbike was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild – long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of dustbin lids and his feet in their leather boots looked like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.'**

"It makes sense why he's so protective of you Harry." Hermione mused.

'**Hagrid,' said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. 'At last. And where did you get that motorbike?'**

Sirius perked up, almost trembling with eagerness.

'**Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir,' said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorbike as he spoke. 'Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir.'**

"Never did get it back." Sirius grumbled.

"What use would it have been to you in Azkaban, Padfoot?" Remus jibbed.

"Oh, sod off."

Harry smiled at their antics, Sirius seemed more himself than ever according to Remus. The scars Azkaban had left on him were slowly being erased.

'**No problems, were there?'**

'**No sir – house was almost destroyed but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol.'**

**Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.**

Harry unconsciously smoothed his fringe over the scar as the women cooed over the image of his baby self.

'**Is that where -?' whispered Professor McGonagall.**

'**Yes,' said Dumbledore. 'He'll have that scar forever.'**

'**Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?'**

'**Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in useful. I have one myself above my left knee which is a perfect map of the London Underground. Well – give him here, Hagrid – we'd better get this over with.'**

"Nice to know you care."

"I didn't mean it like that Harry, the longer we were there, the harder it became to leave."

Harry nodded, not trusting himself to keep the anger out of his voice.

**Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned towards the Dursley's house.**

'**Could I – could I say goodbye to him, sir?' asked Hagrid.**

**He bent his great, shagged head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. **

Harry's heart warmed. He'd always thought of Hagrid as someone he cared about deeply and who cared about him in return, he was glad to be proven right for once.

**Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.**

"Sounds like you, Padfoot."

Sirius punched him gently in the arm before gesturing for Harry to continue.

'**Shhh!' hissed Professor McGonagall. 'You'll wake the Muggles!'**

'**S-s-sorry,' sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. 'But I c-c-can't stand it – Lily an' James dead – an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles- '**

'**Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found,' Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep…'**

"THE DOORSTEP?! You left him on the doorstep in October? How could you Albus?!" Molly screamed.

Albus lifted his hands up in supplication.

"I know Molly, but he was protected, and we cast the strongest warming charms on him we knew. There was no way Petunia would take him if we were there."

Molly deflated a little but still burnt with anger.

"It's okay, haha. I'm fine."

Molly's head swung to Harry and seeing the small smile her anger faded away.

"Okay but I'm not done with you Albus." She said as she pointed an accusing finger at the man, who could only gulp in response. Molly Weasley was truly fierce especially when protecting her children.

"You say that all the time, mate. "Haha". What does it mean?"

"What if it means nothing, Ronald?"

"It just sounds like it means something, Mione. The way he says it…"

Harry chuckled, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

"It does mean something… it… uh…."

"It's okay…" Molly prompted.

Harry ducked his head.

"Ok, you know I call Ron, Fred and George 'Ani' right?"

Hermione, Ron, Fred, George, and Ginny nodded.

"And I call Gin 'Imoto'?"

More nods.

"Well, Ani means brother and Imoto mean little sister in Japanese."

"I didn't know you were interested in Japanese, Harry?" Hermione sounded surprised.

"Uhh… I have a gift for languages apparently."

"So, what does haha mean?" Ron asked.

"Okay, 'haha' means… mother and I call Arthur 'Otosan' which means... father. I know they aren't…"

Harry was about to say that they weren't his parents, but they were as good as, when Molly wrapped her arms around him.

"You'll always be my baby boy, Harry."

"But Lily is his mum and James is his dad!" Sirius cried.

"They might have been the people that made me, but they aren't the ones that raised me, Siri. I'm sorry if that hurts but in my mind they will always be Lily and James. Arthur and Molly are mum and dad to me."

"But… but…"

"Someone once told me it takes 1 minute to become a father but a lifetime to be a dad." Harry said, taking Arthur's hand in his as the couple embraced their youngest son.

Seeing the love on their faces Sirius had no choice but to back down. It hurt him deeply that Harry couldn't think of his best friends as mum and dad, but he understood where Harry was comingfrom. He didn't think of his own parents as mum and dad, those titles had always belonged to James' parents.

As Molly released Harry she placed a small kiss on his forehead, right over his scar.

The group except Sirius had remained silent, allowing this makeshift family a moment to themselves. After a moment of hushed words, Harry picked the book from his lap and continued as if nothing had happened.

'**took out a letter, tucked it inside Harry's blankets and then came back to the other two. For a full minute, the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.'**

Those that knew Albus well could see the same look on his face in that moment.

'**Well,' said Dumbledore finally, 'that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations.'**

'**Yeah,' said Hagrid in a very muffled voice. 'I'd best get this bike away. G'night, Professor McGonagall – Professor Dumbledore, sir.'**

**Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself on to the motorbike and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night. **

'**I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall.' Said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply. **

**Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four. **

'**Good luck, Harry,' he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak he was gone.**

**A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley… He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: 'To Harry Potter – the boy who lived!'**

Harry took a shuddering breath as he laid the book gently in his lap, removed the packet of cigarettes from his pocket and lit one. Scanning the room, he exhaled a clove-scented cloud.

"That's the end of that chapter. Who wants to read next?"

As he expected, Hermione's hand shot straight up.

Smiling he handed over the slim book, watching as Hermione gently stroked the spine, before turning the page.

"**Chapter Two – The Vanishing Glass…"**


	6. Discovery

Previously:

"That's the end of that chapter. Who wants to read next?"

As he expected, Hermione's hand shot straight up.

Smiling he handed over the slim book, watching as Hermione gently stroked the spine, before turning the page.

"**Chapter Two – The Vanishing Glass…"**

Now:

Hermione's voice was strong and sure as she began to read, as it always was when she was helping Harry and Ron with their homework.

'**Nearly ten years had passed since the Dursleys had woken up to find their nephew on the front step, but Privet Drive had hardly changed at all. The sun rose on the same tidy front gardens and lit up the brass number four on the Dursley's front door; it crept into their living-room, which was almost exactly the same as it had been on the night when Mr Dursley had seen that fateful news report about the owls. Only the photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had passed…'**

"Are we going to see…"

"…your baby pictures, little brother?" Fred and George jested.

Harry made a rude gesture to the pair that made them laugh. Thankfully, it went unnoticed by Molly.

'…**Ten years ago, there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a large pink beach ball wearing different-coloured bobble hats…'**

The twins squealed with laughter at the image of Harry's cousin but a sharp look from Hermione quickly silenced them, both knew that Hermione could be deadly when she wanted to be.

'… **but Dudley Dursley was no longer a baby, and now the photographs showed a large, blond boy riding his first bicycle, on a roundabout at the fair, playing a computer game with his father, being hugged and kissed by his mother…'**

"But what about Harry?" Ron cried.

"If you'd let me finish Ronald, I'm sure the book will explain."

Ron shrank back; the only people who called him Ronald were his mother and Hermione, and only when they were angry with him.

'…**The room held no sign at all that another boy lived in the house, too.'**

At the last sentence Hermione stopped, looking at her friend who just shrugged and gestured for her to continue.

'**Yet Harry Potter was still there, asleep at the moment, but not for long…'**

"Well that sounds ominous…" Hermione muttered.

'…**His Aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice which made the first noise of the day.**

"**Up! Get Up! Now!"**

**Harry woke with a start. His aunt rapped on the door again.**

"**Up!" she screeched…'**

"She hasn't changed at all…" Severus thought to himself, but he hoped she'd treated Harry well.

'**Harry heard her walking towards the kitchen and then the sound of the frying pan being put on the cooker. He rolled on to his back and tried to remember the dream he had been having. It had been a good one. There had been a flying motorbike in it. He had a funny feeling he'd had the same dream before…"**

"I told you I remembered things I shouldn't." Harry chuckled winking at his godfather. Sirius was stunned, his jaw flapping as Hermione read on.

'**His aunt was back outside the door.**

"**Are you up yet?" she demanded.**

"**Nearly," said Harry.**

"**Well, get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon…**

"She made you cook?" Molly asked.

"Yea, since I was old enough to reach the cooker."

Molly wondered how old he would have been when Harry answered that very question.

"I think the first time I was around 5 she made me stand on a box to reach the hob. Cooking is a skill I've cultivated over the years but not without some hiccups along the way."

Harry carefully rolled up his sleeves baring his forearms, the slightly tan skin was littered with burn marks and cuts that no one had seen before.

"I was a little clumsy at first."

No one said anything. All were heartbroken that this young man had been forced to cook and injure himself from such a young age.

Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat as she powered on.

'…**And don't you dare let it burn, I want everything perfect on Duddy's birthday."**

**Harry groaned. **

"**What did you say-?" his aunt snapped through the door.**

"**Nothing, nothing…"**

**Dudley's birthday – how could he have forgotten? Harry got slowly out of bed and started looking for socks. He found a pair under his bed and, after pulling a spider off one of them, put them on…'**

"SPIDER?!" Ron yelled, looking a little pale.

Harry patted him on the arm.

"Only a little one, mate."

Ron shivered at the thought.

'**Harry was used to spiders…'**

Harry knew what was coming and braced himself for the reactions.

'… **because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where he slept.'**

The room was deathly silent.

Then, it exploded with noise.


	7. Rage into Tears

**Previously:**

'**Harry was used to spiders…'**

Harry knew what was coming and braced himself for the reactions.

'… **because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where he slept.'**

The room was deathly silent.

Then, it exploded with noise.

**Now:**

Harry shrank back from the cacophony of noise, voices screaming and ranting at the treatment he'd received. Little did they know, this was only the beginning, the tamest of Vernon's punishments.

Dobby clung to his leg as Molly advanced on Albus.

"HOW DARE YOU LEAVE HIM THERE!"

Albus looked frightened, as he should be. His own eyes wet behind those half-moon spectacles. The ever present twinkle gone.

"THOSE MONSTERS LOCKED HIM IN A CUPBOARD ALBUS! A CUPBOARD!"

Molly's voice wasn't the only one shouting abuse at the headmaster, trying to make himself as small as possible. Much to Harry's surprise Narcissa and Andromeda were also screaming at him.

The rage in Narcissa's eyes was deadly, Harry was surprised she hadn't tried to curse Albus yet. When she unleashed her rage upon Albus, she didn't scream like Molly but hissed at him, her face twisted with anger.

"I've had to protect my own son from the Dark Lord and you've left a defenceless child in the hands of those abusive muggles."

"Please Mrs. Malfoy… it was the only way… the blood wards…"

"Fuck the blood wards!"

Harry's eyes widened as the Malfoy matriarch cursed.

"Those wards can be erected around any place Harry sees as home, they don't require a blood connection."

Albus tried to shuffle towards the end of the sofa as the enraged mothers advanced on him.

"You could have put him with Molly and Arthur or me and Ted, he would have been loved and cared for. You- YOU!"

Tonks quickly hurried over putting a hand on her mother's arm.

"You want to count yourself lucky, Headmaster." Tonks warned.

"Lucky?" the old man squeaked.

"Lucky that I can't drag your sorry ass off to Azkaban while we are stuck here. But mark my words, I will make sure you are punished for this."

Harry's eyes darted around the room away from the enraged mothers ready to slaughter the headmaster. From the corner of his eye, he saw Arthur. His fingers digging into the arms of the sofa, his knuckles white, his face reddened with anger, his blue eyes hard and cold. When he spoke, Molly quieted, knowing her husband's anger was far greater than her own.

"How could you Albus?"

"Arthur I…"

"NO! I've raised seven children. Seven! What was one more?"

"You couldn't afford…"

"What does money have to do with anything?!"

"…"

"If money meant more to me and Molly than loving our children, we would have stopped after Percy. We've always made do! We would have loved him, he's our son in all but blood."

Tears slid down his father's cheeks.

"He could have been with us, happy and healthy. But you wouldn't listen… not to us… not even to Minerva… you disgust me, Albus Dumbledore!"

"Please… I didn't…"

"What? You didn't know. I highly doubt that Albus." Sirius bellowed.

The headmaster remained silent.

"You are so fucking lucky I love my godson otherwise I'd kill you!"

"You're not the only one, Black."

Sirius' head snapped around the stare at Severus, wide eyed.

"Damn right, Snape. I'm sure between the two of us we could come up with a fitting punishment for this old bastard." Sirius chuckled darkly.

Harry watched Severus' hand stray to his hip, where he knew his wands was holstered. Knowing Severus would curse first and ask questions later he had to act.

Severus drew his wand, levelling it at the headmaster. His blue eyes widening almost comically behind his glasses. Severus' chest was heaving, his hands shaking as his lips parted, the curse on the tip of his tongue. He would make the old man pay for everything he'd put Harry through. He would suffer the same pain as his beloved.

"CRU…."

Severus didn't get past the first syllable of the torture curse as Harry flung himself at the man, latching onto his outstretched arm.

Harry held tight to Severus' arm, feeling the muscles clench tight beneath his hands.

"He isn't worth it."

Severus tried to pull his wand arm back, but Harry only pulled him closer. Wrapping his arms around Severus' waist, burying his damp face in the man's chest, listening to the frantic beating of his heart.

"Please… he isn't worth it."

Severus deflated, sinking to his knees as the rage fled him. Harry went down with him buried within the folds of his robes. With his eyes burning, Severus buried his face in Harry's unruly hair, those thin arms coming around, clutching him tight as he cried.

At first, Harry just felt the silent tears and then Severus moaned low and he truly began to sob. Harry could just make out the litany of hushed words over the man's muffled sobs.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… I should have protected you…"

"What's done is done, Sev…"

"I know… I know but I promised… I promised…"

The volume of voices in the room has been silenced as they all watched the stoic potions master fall sobbing to his knees, a much too thin boy cradled in his arms, whispering sweet nothings in his ear.

Even Sirius who would have normally launched a tirade of abuse at the Slytherin was mercifully silent as he approached the pair.

"Promised what?" Sirius asked gently.

"I swore I'd look after him, make sure he was happy and cared for. Albus promised me he was, he promised that Petunia was looking after him and loved him as her own. He lied… he's a liar."

Sirius took in the words and the potions master continued to rock his godson gently. Remus could see the gears turning in his best friend's mind, he already worked it out.

"Promised who, Severus?"

Severus looked up at his former bully, he swore he'd never cry in front of Black, but here he was sobbing like a little boy. The same little boy that sobbed before his father.

Swallowing hard, he whispered hoarsely.

"Lily… I promised Lily that if anything happened to her I'd look after him…"

Severus petted Harry's hair, his fingers running gently through the messy black strands.

"I didn't think you and Lily were even speaking when Harry was born…" Sirius said, almost to himself.

"We weren't… but she wanted her best friend to meet her little boy…"

Severus paused. Everyone waited with bated breath for the man to continue.

"She came to Spinner's End in the middle of August… Harry was only a few weeks old, he was so small…" Severus smiled at the memory, tears coming thick and fast.

Harry lifted his head, he could see Sev was struggling. He wasn't used to talking about these things, they hurt too much.

"Sev… if it hurts too much we can show them…"

Harry pulled back, ready to get up, but Severus drew him back to his chest.

"Sev… we need to get up to show them the memory. And I don't know about you but I'm too old to be kneeling on the floor."

Severus laughed at the boy's dry wit, not a chuckle but a full on laugh. The kind that came from deep within you, no one had heard Severus laugh, not since Lily died.

Harry smiled at the rich, deep laugh coming from the man who cherished him so dearly. Placing a gentle kiss on his damp, salty cheek he rose offering his hand to Severus.

Severus laced his potions stained fingers with Harry's calloused ones as they rose. For a moment, they only looked at each other. Severus had stopped crying but his eyes were glassy and wet, his lip swollen where he'd bitten it and his cheeks flared with heat. Harry used the sleeve of his jumper to wipe the excess tears from Sev's sallow cheeks, his lips quirking as he smiled softly.

"Harry, my boy…." Albus spoke in what the boy meant by "view the memories" when all eyes turned to him glaring, daring him to say anything to the boy that they wouldn't approve of.

The headmaster held his hands up in supplication.

"Harry, what do you mean by view the memories? Surely, not all of us can use the pensieve at once?"

"No, we can't Albus. But the letter mentioned a spell to view memories."

"Oh, yes, I'd forgotten about that."

"What letter?" A few people asked.

Looking to the boy and receiving a nod, the headmaster withdrew the letter from his robe and read aloud.

_Harry, I know this letter isn't going to arrive at the best of times for you. It is vital you read this letter and do exactly as it says._

_We are sending back 7 books detailing your life at Hogwarts. While the events of the first four books have already come to pass, there is little that can be done about them, but they still need to be read. It will gain you the allies you need for the upcoming battle and you may find something more you have been searching for._

_The last three books hold details of things that haven't yet come to pass. These will arm you with the knowledge you need to change the future, win the war and even prevent many people for dying. In the next hour you need to gather the people listed below in the Room of Requirement, ask Professor Dumbledore if you don't know where it is. The books will be waiting for you. _

_Some memory vials will also be there to show you the outcome of the current course you are taking. While it is dangerous to meddle with time, we have deemed it necessary. Use this spell – memoria visum - so everyone can view the memories together without the aid of a pensieve._

_Good luck Harry. I feel you may need it. _

_T.R.L, J.S.P, A.S.P, L.L.P, R.N.W, H.A.W. & S.H.M_

_P.S. As soon as you enter the Room of Requirement, time will be frozen, and Harry, open your heart to others, don't lock yourself away._

Severus was warmed by the open your heart comment as Harry had done exactly that with him and he was going to prove that he is worthy of loving the young man. Taking an empty vial from his robe he extracted the memory he'd been trying to talk about and gently placed into Harry's hand.

Harry stretched until his lips were near Severus' ear, the only ones who could even remotely hear them were Bill and Remus, it was their werewolf hearing allowed them to hear Harry's whispered words and Severus' shaky response but neither commented.

"Are you sure, Sev?"

"No… but you need to see it."

Harry nodded, placing the vial on the table. He withdrew his holly and phoenix feather wand from his back pocket, pointing it at the vial.

"Memoria visum"

The vial began to glow, a silvery mist emitting from it, forming a small cloud about the size of the table. At once, it began to solidify and turn a translucent colour, it almost looked like a large pane of glass.

Without asking, everyone drifted back to their seats but everyone made a point of shifting away from the headmaster.

The magical pane darkened, then brightened as a run down house appeared, the street sign read: Spinner's End.

It had begun.


	8. The First Memory

Chapter 8 – The First Memory

It had begun.

_The street was dark and the weather was gloomy, but her red hair stood out, like a beacon in the night. She walked with purpose, her strides fast and clipped as she advanced on the house called Spinners End. In her arms she carried a small bundle, the mop of black hair barely visible as she held her child close to her chest to protect him from the rain. _

Harry gripped Severus' hand hard at the sight of his mother, the Potions Master squeezed the hand back, silently telling Harry that he felt the same pain.

_Harry watched his mother's face come into focus as she rapped on the door. Her high cheekbones and angular eyes reminded him of Narcissa but the colouring was wrong. His mother's face was less pale, her cheeks tinted red by the wind. She has full red lips that almost matched the colour of her hair and of course, those emerald eyes that Harry saw every time he looked in the mirror._

_The room was silent as the door opened and Severus' face appeared, pale and gaunt._

_Neither said anything as they took each other in._ Harry knew from Remus that his mother and Severus hadn't spoken for a few years by the time he was born.

_The younger Severus swallowed, shuffling slightly behind the door, almost like he was afraid._

"_What are you doing here, Lily?"_

Harry leaned towards Severus.

"Why are you hiding?"

"Your mother was quite fierce when she wanted to be." Severus explained chuckling a little.

Harry nodded refocusing on the memory playing before him.

"_I needed to see you." His mother replied, her voice high and sweet._ Just hearing it made tears stream down Harry's cheeks.

"_Needed to see me?! I haven't heard from you in nearly 3 years and you needed to see me?"_

_Lily nodded, shifting the bundle in her arms._

"_Do you mind if we come in? This weather is awful, especially for August." Despite asking Lily strode past Severus into the house. _

_The younger Severus quickly glanced up the stairs before closing the door and following Lily into the parlour. _

_It was dusty and dark as lily sat upon the tattered sofa. Seeing her shiver, Severus withdrew his wand and quickly lit the fire, illuminating the room as he sat across from his former friend._

"_Why did you need to see me, Lils?"_

_The old nickname sliding off his tongue before he could stop it._

_Lily looked up and smiled gently._

"_I needed your help with something. Something important, Sev…"_

_Severus nodded waiting for her to go on._

"_Dibble." _

_The old house elf that had once been Severus' only friend appeared before the red head._

"_Mistress Lily! It be such a long time since Dibble seen you. What can I do for you?"_

"_Some tea would be lovely."_

"_Camomile and honey?"_

_Lily nodded._

"_And a bottle for the baby, please?"_

_Dibble eyes widened as she took in the bundle in Lily's arms. _

"_Mistress Lily has a baby?"_

_Lily smiled as she held the bundle down toward the house elf, who drew back the blankets to reveal the small child sleeping face. His black, messy hair belonged obviously to his father but his eyes were shut tight._

"_He's beautiful…" the house elf whispered._

"_Yes he is. My beautiful little boy."_

"_What be his name?"_

"_Harry. After his grandfather."_

_Dibble gently caressed the child's plump cheek before patting Lily's knee and disappearing._

_Through the encounter with Dibble, Severus remained silent although he looked very uncomfortable in the presence of Harry's baby self._

"_Potter's spawn I presume?" _

"_Oh, cut the crap Sev! I know you hate James, but he is why I am here." She gestured at Harry. _

_Lily took a deep breath._

"_Something's coming Sev, something no one is going to be able to stop and I'm worried that if the Dark Lord comes after us, Harry is…"_

_She trailed off and she held him close. Harry could almost feel the warmth radiating from her._

"_What do you want me to do, Lils?" Severus reached over placing a hand on her knee._

_She looked at him, tears shining her eyes._

"_Keep him safe, Sev. I've left instructions in my will that if anything happens to me, Harry is to go to you or Remus…"_

"_Not Black?"_

"_I trust Sirius about as far as I can throw him. No…" She shook her head, "I won't leave Harry with Sirius, he would drop him or something…"_

"HEY! It was only once!" Sirius yelled at the image of his mother.

Harry laughed.

"You dropped me?"

"Only once, Prongslet. ONCE!"

Harry shook his head smiling, Sirius couldn't tell him how much he looked like his mother in that moment.

"_What are you saying?" Severus exclaimed._

"_I'm saying, Sev… that I think me and James are going to die soon. I can feel it. And when…"_

"_When?!"_

"_Yes, when not if, when that happens you need to keep Harry safe. Swear it me… please Sev…"_

_Severus let out a shuddering breath._

"_Ok… ok Lily… if, IF, anything happens… I'll make sure he's safe…" Severus' voice was hushed and low as he spoke._

"_Thank you…"_

_There was a long pause as his mother and Severus held hands. _

_POP!_

_Both jumped but relaxed when they saw Dibble setting a tea tray down on the table._

_Lily went to pick her cup but Harry began to squirm in her arms. Looking down at the precious child who bore her eyes, she smiled._

"_And how long have you been awake?"_

_Harry gurgled happily in response._

_Lily sighed._

"_I'm dying for a good cup of tea… Would you mind holding him for me, Sev?"_

"_B-b-but I don't know how? What if I drop him?" Severus sputtered._

_Lily rose and stepped over to him._

"_You won't. Hold out your arms."_

_Severus did as he was asked._

_Lily placed the bundle gently in his arms, moving his arms carefully as she explained._

"_You have to support his neck, he can't do it himself, and the other hand supports his body. There!"_

_She had made a cradle out of his arms in which rested baby Harry._

"_See! You're a natural." She sank back into the other sofa, taking a sip of her tea. "Dibble, you make the best tea."_

_The house elf bowed low before disappearing once more._

_Lily watched as Severus pulled the bundle closer to his body as he gurgled happily, reaching out for his long hair._

"_Hello, Harry…I'm Severus…" he whispered, raising the bundle so Harry leant against his heart._

_Harry waved his arm as if to say hello back before resting his little hand against Severus' cheek. Cupping the baby's body with one long arm, he covered Harry's hand with his own._

"_Don't worry… I'll always be there for you."_

As the scene began to darken, Harry could see there were tears in the eyes of many but only Remus and Sirius were openly crying. They mourned the loss of their friends, Harry felt a pain of guilt as he couldn't share in their pain, you can't miss what you never had. But… that memory sparked something in him, a burning desire to keep his family safe… Molly… Arthur… all his brothers… Ginny and now Severus.

Sirius coughed somewhere to his right.

"Well, I always knew you were a good guy, Severus." He swiped tears from his rough cheeks as Remus began to laugh softly.

"You hate him Siri, always have."

"That's true but I don't hate him as much anymore." He shot a small smile in Severus' direction, which he returned with a nod.

"Change a mind… change a heart…" Luna whispered.

"Exactly right, Miss Lovegood." Albus said although he was met with glares that sent him sinking back into his seat.

There were a few moments of silence before Hermione broke the silence.

"Now that's out of the way, we should get back to reading."

There were murmurs of assent from the room and she picked up the book once more.


	9. Back to the Books

Hermione began by re-reading the last line.

'**Harry was used to spiders because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where he slept.'**

That's something she always does when she's interrupted when reading aloud, Harry mused.

"**When he was dressed he went down the hall into the kitchen. The table was almost hidden beneath all Dudley's birthday presents. It looked as though Dudley had gotten the new computer he wanted, not to mention the second television and the racing bike."**

"A second TV, like for his room?" Hermione asked.

Harry shook his head.

"Another one for his room."

"Another? Who needs two TV's?"

Harry shrugged.

"It's foolish. People who spoil their children are only setting themselves up for failure." Molly glanced towards Narcissa.

"I don't spoil my son like that. Lucius might but I do not. That's probably why he prefers his father's company."

Molly shrugged, unconvinced but Harry knew that Draco only acted that way for attention. He craved his father's approval and did just about anything, good or bad, to get his attention. It wasn't that he disliked his mother, he knew Narcissa loved him, but Lucius probably never told Draco that he loved him or was proud of him, and what he failed to realise was Draco needed that.

"**Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to Harry, as Dudley was very fat and hated exercise — unless of course it involved punching somebody."**

Hermione frowned at the book suspecting what was to come but pressed on, wanting the unpleasantness to be over.

"**Dudley's favorite punching bag was Harry, but he couldn't often catch him. Harry didn't look it, but he was very fast."**

A low growl echoed through the room as Remus' eyes flashed at the mere mention of someone hitting his cub. Sirius whispered rapidly in his ear but if the heaving chest was anything to go by, he wasn't listening.

"Moony, it's alright."

Amber eyes snapped up.

"I'm safe here." Harry squeezed Severus' hand for emphasis.

"Nothing can hurt me."

Those amber eyes held Harry's a moment longer before fading to the more golden colour that belonged to Remus.

He didn't say anything but Harry knew. Knew that he was loved.

"**Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard, but Harry had always been small and skinny for his age. He looked even smaller and skinnier than he really was because all he had to wear were old clothes of Dudley's, and Dudley was about four times bigger than he was."**

"Damn right Harry's fast!" Rom exclaimed.

"On his feet…"

"And on a broom!" The twin chimed.

"Harry kills the rest of the Gryffindor team in sprints and long distance running." Ginny added.

"Guys, I'm fast. They get it." Harry said.

Hermione giggled at their antics, it was almost like normal, but she knew everything had changed. Harry wasn't this fearless leader they imagined him to be but a scared, abused young man trying desperately to mourn and heal, all at the same time.

"**Harry had a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair, and bright green eyes. He wore round glasses held together with a lot of Scotch tape because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose."**

Remus' eyes flashed again.

"Ron, do you mind switching places with Remus?"

Ron shook his head, but Harry knew his best mate was still a little scared of his godfather who had served 12 years in Azkaban, although falsely accused.

"Don't worry, he won't bite. Probably."

Harry grinned when Ron gulped but he rose and moved towards Sirius. After Remus stalked over to his space next to Harry, Ron sat next to the former convict who promptly thumped him on the back and began to regale him with tales of the pranks he pulled in school.

Remus, meanwhile, sat next to Harry and Severus, whose hands were still locked together. He watched intently as Severus ran his thumb up and down over the back on Harry's hand.

"It's okay, Moony." Harry soothed, taking Remus' trembling hand in his free one.

"I'll be okay."

"It shouldn't have happened." Remus whispered in a trembling voice, "I should have been there."

"You're here now, and that's all that matters."

Harry leant his head against Remus' shoulder as the werewolf rubbed his cheek against his hair.

_Scenting behaviour,_ Harry thought, fighting back a giggle.

"**The only thing Harry liked about his own appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead that was shaped like a bolt of lightning."**

Everyone's eyes turned to Harry.

Harry flushed, dunking his head.

"I didn't know what it meant then." He murmured.

"**He had had it as long as he could remember, and the first question he could ever remember asking his Aunt Petunia was how he had gotten it. "In the car crash when your parents died," she had said. "And don't ask questions."**

"Car crash?!" Sirius bellowed.

"My god…" Albus whispered, "they really didn't tell you…"

Harry shook his head.

"They always told me my father was a drunk and he killed my mother."

Tears flooded Hermione's eyes as she realised her best friend had never grieved for his parents and probably never would. She hoped Severus would be able to help him with that.

"**Don't ask questions — that was the first rule for a quiet life with the Dursleys. Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Harry was turning over the bacon. "Comb your hair!" he barked, by way of a morning greeting."**

Harry let go of Remus' hand to instinctively flatten the mop of hair he'd inherited from his father.

"Yeah, Harry… Comb your hair." The twins shouted.

"I do! But it doesn't lie flat." Harry shouted back.

Remus flinched, his heightened senses weren't always a good thing.

"Sorry, Remy."

"Don't worry, I've put up with Sirius most of my life."

"OI!"

Harry laughed at his godfather's hurt tone. Severus and Remus both smiled lovingly at the young man.

"**About once a week, Uncle Vernon looked over the top of his newspaper and shouted that Harry needed a haircut. Harry must have had more haircuts than the rest of the boys in his class put together, but it made no difference, his hair simply grew that way — all over the place."**

Hermione began to laugh. It started a small stifled giggles that quickly dissolved into full blown laughter. Harry tried to glare at her but she only laughed harder.

"I-I-I'm sorry, Harry…" she said in between fits of giggles, "…it's too much."

Hermione fought to get herself under control as Harry continued to mock glare at her. Clearing her throat she quickly began reading again.

"**Harry was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his mother."**

"Hermione dear, could you repeat that. I don't think I heard it right."

"You did, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione said.

"How long have you cooked for them Harry?" Molly asked.

"For as long as I can remember. I had a stool at the beginning because I couldn't reach the top of the stove."

"How old were you?"

"Maybe 5 or 6…"

To say Molly was angry was an understatement, most of her children were 13 or older and she didn't trust most of them in the kitchen. She realises that Harry was treated more like a house elf than a child. Maybe that's why he feels such a connection with them, she mused, gazing at the three elves at his feet, Dobby still clinging to Harry's trouser leg.

"We will discuss this later."

Harry only nodded in response.

"**Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a large pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, and thick blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick, fat head. Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel — Harry often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig."**

Sirius, Ron, and the twin dissolved into uncontrollable laughter at the image. Severus snorted, obviously holding in his laughter. Harry was determined to make the man laugh more.

"PIG IN A WIG! PIG IN A WIG!" the twins chanted, louder and louder until Molly yelled at them to be quiet.

"**Harry put the plates of egg and bacon on the table, which was difficult as there wasn't much room. Dudley, meanwhile, was counting his presents. His face fell. "Thirty-six," he said, looking up at his mother and father. "That's two less than last year."**

"God, could that child be any more spoilt?" Narcissa asked.

Harry snorted prompting the woman to look at him.

"That's only the beginning."

Narcissa was shocked but couldn't believe that this child would get worse.

"**Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's here under this big one from Mommy and Daddy."**

"**All right, thirty-seven then," said Dudley, going red in the face. **

**Harry, who could see a huge Dudley tantrum coming on, began wolfing down his bacon as fast as possible in case Dudley turned the table over. Aunt Petunia obviously scented danger, too, because she said quickly, "And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's that, popkin? Two more presents. Is that all right?"**

There was silence as Hermione continued to read.

"**Dudley thought for a moment. It looked like hard work. Finally he said slowly, "So I'll have thirty … thirty …"**

"39 you fool!" Hermione shouted at the book, "Can't this idiot even do basic math?"

Harry shook his head.

"I usually do it for him."

"Harry you suck at math," Ron chimed.

"No I don't, I just make it seem that way…" he mumbled.

"Explain!" Minerva snapped.

"Well, when I got better grades that Dudley, I got punished. My uncle made me do Dudley's work so he'd get good grades and I'd have to answer mine incorrectly."

"So you intentionally dumbed yourself down?"

Harry nodded, his face flushed with shame.

"Do you still do it?" the stern professor asked.

Again, Harry nodded.

"Why?" Hermione asked.

"I wasn't going to. I swear! But I saw how you reacted when Draco got better grades than you in potions and I could easily get better grades than both of you, so I…"

"What do you mean Harry?" Severus and Remus asked.

"Well after Hagrid took me to Diagon Alley I read all of my text books in a couple of weeks. I have a eidetic memory…"

"What's that?" Ron asked.

"An eidetic memory is the ability to recall an image from memory with high precision for a brief period after seeing it only once, so I only need to see or read something once and I never forget it."

Hermione gasped realising that this meant Harry could have easily been at the top of every class in theory and his power level also meant he was the top in most practical subjects.

"So you basically dumbed yourself down to make yourself seem average?" Minerva asked.

"It's the easiest way to blend in." Harry confessed.

"Blend in?" Remus questioned.

"I stand out enough as it is being Harry bloody Potter, the boy who lived. I saw that at the welcoming feast first year and I didn't want to stand out more than that so yes, I deliberately make myself dumber to appear average in my grades, so other students and staff don't really notice me."

"I get that, Harry," Hermione said, "but what I don't get is why you said you could beat me and Draco in potions."

"In primary school the subject I excelled at was Chemistry…"

"And potions is the magical version of chemistry…" Hermione continued.

"Exactly! I was so… so… excited to have one subject in the magical world I understood."

Severus raised an eyebrow at Harry's response.

Harry closed his eyes and he continued. This was the most animated anyone had ever seen him.

"The precise nature of the subject, the explosive temperament of the ingredients, the skill needed to harness them correctly… It's something I was made to do… I…"

The rest of the sentence was inaudible as Harry mumbled.

"Try again, Harry, not even my werewolf hearing picked that up." Remus jested.

Harry scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"Well, earlier this year when we started talking about career choices after school, I wanted to be potions master, despite everyone telling me I should be an auror."

Severus' eyes widened in shock.

"A potions master?" He asked.

Harry nodded, cheeks flushed with heat.

He shifted, "I was actually hoping next year I could start an apprenticeship with you…"

Severus tried to suppress his smile but couldn't. Not many students wanted to become potion masters and even fewer wanted to apprentice under him. The only offer of interest he had was from his godson, Draco.

"If that's what you want Harry, we will make it happen but you need to stop dumbing yourself down in class." Minerva chided.

"Yes, Professor." Harry beamed.

With that conversation ended, Harry gestured for Hermione to continue.

"**Thirty-nine, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia.**

"**Oh." Dudley sat down heavily and grabbed the nearest parcel. "All right then."**

**Uncle Vernon chuckled. "Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. 'Atta boy, Dudley!" He ruffled Dudley's hair."**

Molly huffed at his cousin's antics.

"**At that moment the telephone rang and Aunt Petunia went to answer it while Harry and Uncle Vernon watched Dudley unwrap the racing bike, a video camera, a remote control airplane, sixteen new computer games, and a VCR. He was ripping the paper off a gold wristwatch when Aunt Petunia came back from the telephone looking both angry and worried."**

"Well that can't be good," Remus said.

"**Bad news, Vernon," she said. "Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't take him." She jerked her head in Harry's direction."**

"I have a name." Harry mumbled.

"**Dudley's mouth fell open in horror, but Harry's heart gave a leap. Every year on Dudley's birthday, his parents took him and a friend out for the day, to adventure parks, hamburger restaurants, or the movies. Every year, Harry was left behind with Mrs. Figg, a mad old lady who lived two streets away. Harry hated it there. The whole house smelled of cabbage and Mrs. Figg made him look at photographs of all the cats she'd ever owned."**

"What's wrong with cats?" Hermione asked, thinking of her own cat.

"Nothing, but I'm allergic to them. They make me sneeze."

"Oh." Hermione's mouth was downturned.

"Don't worry Mione, Crookshanks is fine as long as he doesn't climb on me."

She smiled. Harry obviously sensed her worry and immediately put it as ease.

"**Now what?" said Aunt Petunia, looking furiously at Harry as though he'd planned this. Harry knew he ought to feel sorry that Mrs. Figg had broken her leg, but it wasn't easy when he reminded himself it would be a whole year before he had to look at Tibbies, Snowy, Mr. Paws, and Tufty again. "We could phone Marge," Uncle Vernon suggested.**

"**Don't be silly, Vernon, she hates the boy." The Dursleys often spoke about Harry like this, as though he wasn't there — or rather, as though he was something very nasty that couldn't understand them, like a slug.**

"**What about what's-her-name, your friend — Yvonne?"**

"**On vacation in Majorca," snapped Aunt Petunia.**

"**You could just leave me here," Harry put in hopefully (he'd be able to watch what he wanted on television for a change and maybe even have a go on Dudley's computer).**

**Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon."**

"Nothing's changed there, she always looked like that even as a child." Severus chuckled.

Harry was nervous about the encounter at the zoo, he knew it was coming and most knew he was a parselmouth but it still unnerved almost everyone, even Ron.

Seeing his friend frown, Ron knew Harry needed a break, just time to collect his thoughts, so before Hermione could start reading again he interrupted.

"Can we break for lunch? I'm starving."

"Of course, sweetheart." Molly replied.

Knowing what Ron had done, he gave his friend a small smile.

"Let's have a break and eat, then we can continue with the book." Albus said.

With that the three house elves popped away, probably to collect the food from the kitchens as the group broke apart.

Harry gave a sigh of relief, he squeezed Severus' hand before releasing it, making a beeline for his friends.


	10. Love

**Previously: **

_Seeing his friend frown, Ron knew Harry needed a break, just time to collect his thoughts, so before Hermione could start reading again he interrupted._

"_Can we break for lunch? I'm starving."_

"_Of course, sweetheart." Molly replied._

_Knowing what Ron had done, he gave his friend a small smile._

"_Let's take a break and eat, then we can continue with the book." Albus said._

_With that the three house elves popped away, probably to collect the food from the kitchens as the group broke apart. _

_Harry gave a sigh of relief, he squeezed Severus' hand before releasing it, making a beeline for his friends._

**Now: **

Harry walked towards Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Neville, and the twins when his chest suddenly felt tight. He couldn't catch his breath.

This was all too much, he couldn't do this.

Ron saw Harry beginning to panic; he rushed over gripping Harry's shoulder tightly.

"It's okay, Harry. You're in the Room of Requirement. You aren't there."

Despite Ron's reassuring words, memories flooded Harry's mind, violent snippets of the life he lived before Hogwarts.

His uncle's violet face screaming at him.

His huge fist raised.

The crack of the belt as it split his flesh.

His screams.

Tears.

Pleas.

"Make it stop…" Harry hissed.

Ron could feel Harry's shoulder trembling violently beneath his hand. He spun around, looking for somewhere quiet to take Harry until it passed. He spotted the room Harry and Severus had emerged from and quickly herded his friend towards it.

Harry took shuffling steps, his knees threatening to give out beneath him but nobody seemed to notice.

As they entered the room and the door sealed behind them, all the noise faded with it.

All Harry could hear was his own rasping breath, all he could feel was the frantic beating of his heart.

And then he felt it.

The hand pressing his chest back and then the slow thudding of another heart.

Ron's.

Harry whirled burying his face in Ron's warm chest, breathing in the scent of fire smoke and treacle tart. He smelt of home, of warmth and love, things Harry had never felt before Hogwarts.

Harry clung to Ron's robes and he trembled harder.

Ron wasn't sure what made Harry react this way but he needed to do something to help. Most people didn't know it but Ron hated feeling helpless. He hated the fact all he could do first year was solve McGonagall's game of death chess; Hermione had done more than him dealing with the Devil's snare and solving Snape's potion riddle. He hated he couldn't save Ginny in his second year; sure his faulty wand had backfired on Lockhart but Harry had dealt with Tom Riddle and the basilisk and he'd almost died to do it. He hated not being able to protect his friend from Remus, that was Snape who had risked his life to protect them. He hated not being there for Harry in the tournament, sure he gave him an impossible riddle about the dragons but Hagrid and Dobby had done more than him.

He hated himself for being so weak, but here he could be strong for Harry.

Ron slowly wrapped his arms around Harry drawing him in closer, wanting to provide comfort but not make him more afraid than he was now.

Harry felt Ron's arm pull him close, his warmth seeping into Harry driving the tremors from his body. As his muscles became still, the tears flooded him. Streaming down his cheek in hot rivers. He cried for the family he never had, the childhood he never had, but most of all he was crying for the innocence that had been stolen from him.

"Harry, tell me what's wrong?" Ron whispered into his hair.

Harry shook his head.

"Please…"

Harry paused looking up at his friend, seeing the pain and hurt in his eyes.

Harry suddenly realised something, he trusted Ron.

He took a deep breath and nodded.

Ron led Harry to the edge of the bed that appeared in the corner.

Laying side by side, he pulled Harry close to his chest, the same way he held Ginny when she had nightmares after her encounter with Tom Riddle.

"It will probably come out in the books anyway but…"

"You don't want the others to find out like that."

Harry nodded.

"Tell me."

"Okay."

Harry drew a shuddering breath as he began.

"The harsh words and beating often inflicted upon me by my family, mostly my uncle, never really bothered me. It was only pain, you know…"

Ron's grip tightened at the thought of someone hurting his Harry.

"I always believed that words couldn't hurt you unless you let them, and physical pain can be overcome."

"So why did you react that way?"

"I suddenly thought of the other way my uncle used to punish me and I couldn't stop the memories in time… I'd become good at blocking them out but it took me by surprise and I couldn't stop them. I couldn't…"

Ron was silent, knowing questions wouldn't help now, Harry would explain in his own time.

"The first time I was six, it was midnight on my birthday. My uncle came down to my cupboard and told me he had a present for me. I'd always tried to fit in with them and I thought at last, it had worked."

Ron smoothed Harry's raven locks as he continued.

"He took me out to the shed and pushed me inside, telling me my gift was there. I rushed in eager to receive my gift, the first one he would have given me but as my eye adjusted to the dark, I could see there was nothing there for me."

Harry pushed back the memories threatening to overwhelm him, he had to tell someone.

"I turned and my uncle was there, belt in his hand, his zipper down. I didn't understand at the time but he was aroused by having me cornered and at his mercy."

Ron suddenly felt sick as he realised where Harry's story was going.

"He pushed me to my knees and made me… made me…"

Harry could hold back the memory any longer. He could see the dust and damp mixing with his uncle's foul scent. He could taste the monster forcing his prick into his mouth, choking him. He remembered vomiting and curling up on the concrete floor as his uncle laughed.

Ron held Harry through it all but his own tears mixed with Harry's.

"After he was done he left me in the shed all night. It was cold but I was thankful to be alone."

"You said the first time…"

Harry whimpered.

"That was just the beginning, at first it was just handjobs and blowjobs but as I got older he wanted more…"

"More…" Ron echoed.

"Then this summer, he… he…"

"Raped you?"

Harry let out a sound, Ron couldn't name it but it was filled with pain.

"It was a few days before I was due to come back to Hogwarts. You know all about the dementors and the court hearing right?"

"Dad told me about it."

"Well, I had to go back for a few days before I was able to come to Hogwarts. My uncle was furious. He thought I did something to Dudley, he screamed at me, beat me, with his fists, his belt, anything he could lay his hand on and my aunt just watched…"

Ron ran his finger through Harry's hair, soothing him.

"It's okay… it's okay… he can't hurt you now."

"Then he dragged me upstairs by my hair, I screamed and kicked but he's huge. I couldn't get away. He threw me down on the bed. For a minute I lay there stunned, my brain couldn't keep up with what was going on. He climbed up on my legs pinning me, he gripped my shirt and tore it to shreds. All at once, I knew what was going to happen. I fought as hard as I could, I scratched, bit, punched but it was as if he didn't even feel it. The next thing I knew I was naked and he was pulling down his pants.

He lifted himself up to remove them so I tried to get away but he caught my hair and flipped me onto my stomach. He didn't say anything just rammed himself inside me. It hurt so much… I screamed and cried but he couldn't stop. He just kept ramming himself into me over and over and I just wanted it to be over, for him to be done.

Then it was. He groaned and went limp as he came, smothering me beneath his weight. He pulled himself free of my body, got dressed and left… all without a word. Then I felt something dripping down my thighs, it was blood mixed with his cum.

I felt so helpless… so used… so worthless.

How can Severus ever want me when I've already been used?"

As Harry's tale came to an end, Ron sobbed into his hair. He wasn't even startled by the confession that Harry wanted to sleep with Snape. All he cared about right now was Harry.

Someone had hurt his Harry.

Defiled him.

Abused him in the most heinous of ways.

Ron was pissed.

He gripped Harry tighter and tighter until the boy groaned.

"Ron! You're hurting me!"

At Harry's exclamation Ron instantly relaxed his grip. He reached for Harry's face, putting them nose to nose.

"You aren't worthless Harry. You're amazing and you don't even see it."

Harry just stared at him, wide-eyed in confusion.

"You have proven your worth time and time again. Every time you've faced Voldemort, every time you've kept me and my family safe, every time… I see more of you… I see the person you really are in here…"

He rested a hand over Harry's racing heart.

"I see the boy who is selfless, who always puts others before himself even when they are being complete and utter arseholes. Even when they turn their back on him, call him names, hurt him and he accepts them back without a second thought, even when they haven't apologised for all the time they hurt him and used him when all they really wanted was to love him but they didn't know how… I see you Harry Potter."

It took a minute but Harry realised Ron was talking about himself, how he abandoned Harry in the Triwizard Tournament, how he turned his back on Harry and how he had accepted Ron back into his life even without a proper apology.

Then it clicked.

Ron loved him, always had and always would, he just didn't know how to express it. Ron was a proud young man and that pride often got in the way of the more important things in his life, it drove a wedge between him, Harry and Hermione on more than one occasion but they had always worked through it.

Harry had never realised how much guilt and self-hatred Ron was carrying around until that moment.

Harry glazed into those impossibly blue eyes, taking in the constellations of freckles scattered around them, the tears running down his cheeks, some settling on the edge of his lower lip which trembled.

"Ron…"

"DON'T! Just don't Harry…"

Harry didn't say anything, he just followed the track of Ron's tears.

"I know I've been a horrid friend… I shouldn't even be called your friend…" Ron whispered his voice cracking with emotion.

"Of course, you should… no one except my best friend would be here with me now… holding me, comforting me when I couldn't tell anyone else."

For a while they just held each other until the tears dried and Harry's pain began to lessen. He knew Ron would always be with him. His best friend… His…

The pieces of the puzzle came together then.

Harry raised his head, his emerald eyes met Ron's sapphire ones.

Harry wasn't sure who moved first but then Ron's impossibly soft lips were against his own. Harry could taste the salt of their tears in the kiss which only made it sweeter as Ron's tongue traced his lower lip asking permission.

Harry sighed granting entrance and Ron's tongue swept around his mouth, eager and without finesse, the complete opposite to the kisses he shared with Severus.

Despite pledging his love for his professor, this didn't feel like cheating. This felt like healing.

Ron's one hand felt his hair in a firm but gentle grasp and the other began to drift down his side until it rested on Harry's jutting hip.

Harry moaned gently as Ron pulled back, sucking in heaving breaths, his cheeks stained red.

"Are you sure?" he whispered against Harry's lip.

Harry nodded quickly, eager to have those lips against his own again.

Ron dove back in claiming his lips in a hard kiss that had Harry trembling for a completely different reason. His body felt hot and he squirmed against Ron.

"please…" he begged in between kisses.

Harry didn't know what he was asking for but Ron seemed to so he let Ron draw his shirt over his head and watched in fascination as the redhead shed his own shirt. He had seen Ron in various states of undress before over the year but this was different.

This time he noted the toned chest, the scattering of freckles, the dusty pink nipples.

Harry traced his fingers over Ron's ribs before coming to rest over his heart and Harry could feel a frantic pounding that mirrored his own.

Ron gently tilted Harry's head to the side and he kissed down his neck. When he reached the juncture between his neck and shoulder he gave a sucking bite that made Harry's hip buck.

Both boys moaned as Harry's hardness met Ron's.

Ron eased Harry onto his back as he loomed upon him panting.

"Anymore of this and I won't be able to stop."

"Then don't…" Harry whispered as he wrapped his arms around Ron's shoulders, drawing him down into another bruising kiss. Feeling bold Harry thrust his hips up, grinding their erections together.

What his uncle did felt horrible but this… This was wonderful.

Ron gently rubbed Harry's erect nipple causing the smaller boy to gasp sharply. Smiling the taller boy leant down and took the hard nub into his mouth, rolling his tongue around it. He pulled back to blow on the nipple, causing it to tighten almost painful as Harry bit down on his knuckles to keep from crying out.

Ron noticed this and reached up bringing both arms to Harry's side.

"Don't do that…"

"But… it's embarrassing…"

"It's not. It lets me know I'm doing something right and right now I need that."

_He needs this as much as I do. _

Harry nodded gently as Ron switched nipples not wanting to leave the other neglected and Harry howled as the pleasure coursed through his body.

"Oh god… please…"

Ron kissed his way down Harry's chest and stomach, pausing at Harry's belt.

Ron toyed with the buckle, looking up at Harry waiting for permission.

"please…" Harry gasped as he cupped Ron's cheek.

Giving his friend a cheeky smile, Ron unbuckled Harry's belt and drew down his zipper.

Pulling his friend cock from his pants, he noted the difference between Harry's erection and his own.

Harry's was curved slightly towards the tip which was leaking generously. Ron noticed that Harry also shaved as he was completely hairless.

"Pleasssse…" Harry hissed as Ron wrapped his fingers around Harry's thick cock.

"As you wish…" he murmured back.

Ron breathed hotly over Harry's heated flesh causing the boy to buck once more before drawing the turgid flesh into his mouth. He made sure to wrap his lips around his teeth first, he knew how much that hurt from experience.

"Oh fuck… Ron…"

Harry obviously hadn't experienced a blowjob before and Ron was determined to make it the best for him.

At first he just gently ran his tongue around the head, tasting the fluid there. It was a little salty but mostly it was sweet, it suited Harry. After a minute Harry became accustomed to the new sensation and watched Ron through lidded eyes.

Ron loved those emerald eyes watching him, he took pride in knowing he was Harry's first, that it was him who made him feel this way.

Taking a deep breath through his nose, Ron plunged down until he could feel Harry touched his throat.

"mmmmm… Ron please… more…"

Relaxing his muscle Ron took Harry into his throat. He was pleased he'd done it on the first try without gagging but what pleased him even more was Harry's reaction.

He bucked Harry, forcing himself fully into Ron's mouth, his balls tapped Ron's chin and he screamed.

The first stream took Ron by surprise who quickly pulled back to let Harry's cum pool on his tongue. Up until that moment Ron wasn't sure he was going to swallow it, it seemed a little gross but the sweet, salty flavour coating his tongue was wonderful and he quickly swallowed it down, along with the next mouthful. He kept sucking until Harry was spent and his almost painful arched back collapsed onto the bed.

Harry's chest was slick and heaving as he watched Ron pull off his spent cock. Looking down Harry could see Ron was hard by the bulge in his trousers and a jolt of terror quickly ran through him as his eyes widened.

Ron stalked up Harry's body, drawing him into a gentle kiss so Harry could taste himself on Ron's tongue.

"It's okay, Harry… you don't have to if you don't want to."

Harry gulped, his mouth suddenly dry as he saw the pure love in Ron's eyes.

He laid a shaking hand on Ron's hip.

"I want to…"

Without saying anything more Harry slid his hands down to Ron's trousers and worked them underneath to take Ron's throbbing length in his loose fist.

Despite being the more experienced party, Ron almost lost it right there before Harry even got his pants off.

"Oh god, Harry please."

Harry moved his fist in long, gentle strokes. Enough to keep Ron on edge yet not push him any closer to the edge. It was maddening.

"Ah… mmm…. Harry…. Don't tease me."

"Oh, I'm not love."

With a sly smile, Harry withdrew and then slowly sank down, resting his hands on Ron's knees.

Ron raised himself up onto his elbows, so he could still see Harry's face and he gently pulled down his trousers and pants off before tossing them into some random corner of the room, no doubt to be found later.

Panting and flushed, Ron pushed Harry's head away as he leaned into his most delicate parts. Harry's eyes darted to his, panicked.

Ron shook his head.

"You seriously don't… have to."

"But I want to."

And before Ron could protest, Harry took his throbbing prick and guided it gently into his mouth.

Gasping at the warmth, Ron was almost overcome but reigned in his desires.

Harry began to bob his head, his technique betraying his inexperience and more than once he almost caught Ron with his teeth.

Ron gently tugged on his hair. With a breathy almost non-existent voice he offered some advice.

"Wrap your lips around your teeth, and don't try to force it, no one can take it all on their first try."

Harry didn't speak, he just returned to his task armed with new information.

_God, he's a natural._

Ron shoved his fist into his mouth to stifle the noises escaping him, saliva dribbling down his chin but Harry snatched it away and pressed it to the bed, allowing all Ron's moans, whimpers, and sighs to escape.

Ron didn't understand why until Harry swirled his tongue around the crown of his hardness and Ron bucked. Harry moaned around him sending vibrations up his length.

"Ahhhhh… God Harry… st…. stop"

He lifted his head.

"Is it bad?"

"Oh no, darling, you're going to make me come if you keep doing that."

"I don't mind. I honestly find the thought of you cumming in my mouth very appealing."

"Jesus, Harry."

Harry jumped straight back in, bobbing and sucking with hollow cheeks making the most arousing and delicious slobbering noises and he tried to devour Ron.

Ron didn't know how much longer he could hold back.

He reached down and took a handful of Harry's silken raven hair in his hands, pushing him down further.

Harry gagged a little but took it on the second try.

Harry's nose grazed the trimmed hair at the base of Ron's member and as he rose and scrapped his teeth across the sensitive skin.

Ron lost it.

"Harry…. Harry… Har….. I…. I'm… cumming."

The last part dissolved into a moan and Harry gave a strong suck and Ron came apart in his mouth, filling it with his seed, Harry's cheeks filling as he swallowed it down.

"ummmmmmmmm…. Harry. Fuck!"

Ron let out a nervous laugh, his eyes met Harry's burning with a suppressed fire. Ron shivered.

Harry glided up his body to take his lips in a hot kiss, Ron tasted his essence on Harry's tongue.

Ron pushed him over onto his back and Harry looked up at him, a little confused.

"It's time for the next step, darling."

"Next step?" Harry asked, shuddering.

Ron thought Harry was beautiful in that moment, his prick almost at full hardness again.

Ron wrapped his arms around Harry, nuzzling against his neck.

"Ron, do you think you can go again soon? I want to feel you inside me."

"Jesus, Harry." He pants, "Give me a minute and I'll see what I can do."

His tone was comforting as his fingers ran down Harry's spine.

_Oh, God, what is he doing to me?_

Ron's fingers curl around Harry's hip bone, fingertips almost brushing the top of his arse, Harry was torn between grinding his prick into Ron's or pushing back hoping those fingers will go lower, deciding he arched back.

"Patience, Harry."

"Please, Ron, I've waited for years, I don't know how much longer I can wait."

"Years?"

Harry nodded.

Harry felt Ron's prick twitch against him and he knew it was time.

"Ready for more, Harry?"

"Yes."

Ron reached down, grappling in his robe for his wands. He whispered a lubrication charm, sending a silent prayer to Bill for teaching it to him during their trip to Egypt.

Harry squirmed at the slick feeling but quickly quieted as Ron's fingers traced his rim.

Ron's fingers didn't enter him straight away, nervous and unsure he rubbed his fingertips against the rim causing Harry to moan and arch into him, pressing his length into Ron's.

When he didn't go any further, Harry lifted my head from Ron's shoulder to look into his eyes. He could see the indecision swimming in those deep blue eyes.

Harry swallowed, licked parched lips before speaking.

"It's okay, Ron."

"Are you sure?" Ron's question was barely audible but Harry caught it.

"I have never been surer of anything in my life, Ron. Now, get a move on before I explode."

Ron's soft chuckle sends shivers up Harry's spine as he slowly pressed a finger into Harry's willing body.

Ron slowly pressed the finger in, two knuckles deep twisting it slightly making Harry gasp.

Ron froze.

"Oh no, Ron, don't stop now, more."

Ever so slowly Ron withdraws pushing a second finger in. Scissoring them so gently, like Harry was the most precious thing to him.

The slow pace was enough to make Harry scream, he needed more.

"Ron" he panted, "I know you are trying to be gentle right now but I need more."

Harry took hold of his wrist behind him and plunged the fingers in deep, a sharp moan tearing itself from his throat.

"Oh god, just like that."

Harry set the pace and Ron quickly took over.

Harry thought it felt great but it wasn't enough. Ron twisted his fingers again changing the angle when he hit something deep inside Harry, making him scream.

"Ron! Right there. Oh, god do it again."

Ron didn't disappoint.

He trained his fingers on that spot, hitting it just right and Harry didn't notice when he added a third finger.

Feeling his climax approach, Harry begged Ron to stop.

_I need him inside._

"R-r-ron, stop."

"Oh god, did I hurt you?"

"God, no, Ron. I'm at my limit. I need you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, god, yes."

Harry's pleading must have convinced Ron because he pushed Harry onto his back hovering over him, fingers still pressed inside.

Ron withdrew his fingers making Harry whine in displeasure.

"Don't worry, love, I'll give you what you want."

Writhing and panting Harry watched him repeat the lubrication charm, slicking his prick with the lube, fisting it gently, lips caught between his teeth and Harry knew Ron was as close to climax as he was.

Ron's prick grasped firmly in his hand as he gripped Harry's hips, lifting them to line his member up.

The head pressed lightly against Harry's hole, as Ron looked at him, wanting and searching.

He nodded ever so slightly.

"Please, Ron, I can't wait any longer." Harry pleaded.

Ever so slowly Ron pressed forward, the head of his prick slipping inside causing them both to moan.

Ron drove himself forward slowly, always conscious of Harry and his pleasure.

Eventually, Ron bottomed out and Harry could feel Ron's sac pressed against his ass.

_I feel so full._

Ron braced himself over Harry. Harry could see the passion in his eyes and the effort it was taking for Ron to remain so still, waiting for him.

Catching his breath, Harry sighed.

"Ron." he whispered, reaching up to cup his chin, angling it down, so he could kiss him again.

"Oh, god, Harry, you're so hot and tight."

"mmhmmmmm"

"You feel amazing, Harry, I can't…"

Harry cut him off with his lips once more.

"You feel amazing too Ron, I feel so full… full of you."

Ron growled. The primal sound caught Harry off guard.

"God, Ron, move please."

Ron dropped himself onto his elbows, his face a breath away from Harry's own, as he pulled his hips back slowly. Harry could feel every ridge and vein of Ron's prick as he moved. It felt amazing, Harry was connected to Ron for the first time, the sensation brought tears to his eyes as he wrapped his arms around Ron's neck drawing him down until he could whisper in Ron's ear.

"Fuck me, Ron."

Ron growled, long and low and snapped his hips forward burying himself in Harry to the hilt.

"Fuck!"

"Fuck!"

Gripping a fistful of Ron's hair, Harry pushed back, silently telling Ron to let go.

Withdrawing once more Ron snapped his hips forward faster than before.

"FUCK, Ron, harder baby… please… harder!"

Without words, Ron drove himself further and further into Harry's body until he hit that spot.

"RON!"

In-between his pants and moans, Harry's swear he can hear Ron laugh at his scream.

Moving one hand down to Harry's hip, Ron grips it hard enough to bruise. It was a pleasing thought to Harry, that Ron was owning him, and he would wear those marks of ownership tomorrow. Handprints and bite marks.

Harry wasn't idle either, pulling Ron's hair, tilting his head back and latching onto his neck and biting down when he plunges into him again. Harry's teeth sink into Ron's neck, hard enough to hurt but not enough to draw blood.

Ron seemed to like it because he began driving into Harry at an almost inhuman speed.

Harry could feel Ron's breath coming faster, his hips stuttering slightly.

Ron dropped down and moaned into Harry's mouth.

"Ron, I c-c-can't…. Oh, fuck."

Ron took Harry's face in his hands, his fingers sliding through Harry's sweaty hair.

"It's ok Harry, I'm right there too, let go, baby, let go."

"Ahh, ah, oh, Ron."

Ron's prick was driving into Harry's spot over and over, he could himself approaching the edge.

"Oh god, ah, mmmm, Ron."

Ron could feel him holding back.

_He needs that final push._

Sliding one hand from his hair, down Harry's back, his nails leaving red lines in his wake, until they reach his ass grabbing it hard.

"Ron!"

"Come on Harry, I want you to fall over the edge with me, I want you to cum all over your pretty chest… Ahhhhh."

Ron drives in extra hard.

Harry's fingers dig hard into his hips, member twitching uncontrollably, spurting liquid heat between their chests.

"OH, FUCK RON!"

Ron's hips continue moving, faster than before as he drove himself into Harry chasing his own orgasm.

"Oh, oh, fuck, fuck, Harry!"

Harry gipped Ron's head pulling it down to his shoulder, as he felt Ron cum inside him. Liquid heat spread through him as Ron trembled.

As they collapsed Harry could hear Ron's harsh pants in his ears, feel his hands gliding up his sides.

Weakly Ron lifted his head from Harry's shoulder, as he withdrew causing them both to moan as the sensitive nerves and glands were stimulated further.

Ron lay down next to Harry panting, pulling the smaller boy gently into his arms.

Harry looked up shyly at Ron.

"Was… was that... um… ok?"

Shocked by the question, Ron laughed.

Harry's face fell.

Rolling over Ron pulled him closer, lifting his chin.

"Harry, that was amazing, I have never cum so hard in my life."

"Really?" He looked at Ron with those large, innocent eyes.

"Really."

Relieved Harry wrapped his arms around Ron, resting his cheek on his chest, inhaling softly.

Together and satisfied Ron pulled the sheets over their cooling bodies, ignoring the sweat and cum staining the both of them.

As Harry started to drift off, he heard Ron whisper into his hair.

"I love you, Harry."

"I love you too Ron. I always have."

Harry swore he felt him smile as his arms tightened around him.

Harry had one last thought before sleep claimed him.

_Dear Lord, don't ever take him away from me._


	11. Scars

Harry didn't know how long he'd been asleep. The last thing he remembered was soft kisses and whispered nothings as he drifted off.

A persistent tugging on his hair had woken him but the world was blurry without his glasses.

_Ron must have taken them off._

Harry reached over to the bedside table that wasn't there last night to retrieve them. As the world came into focus he noted the sun was still high in the sky through the window.

_I didn't sleep long. I never do, not anymore._

The tug came again and when Harry craned his head up, he was met with a wide pair of amber eyes, framed by snow white feathers.

"Hey girl…"

Hedwig hooted softly.

She hopped onto Harry's shoulder and snuggled down into the crook of his neck, and he smoothed her gloriously soft feathers.

Harry remembered what had happened earlier as he gazed at Ron; who was still asleep, breathing deeply with the occasional snore.

Harry had always thought sex would be the most terrifying experience after what his uncle had done to him, he'd expected at least one panic attack but there were none. The love and admiration in Ron's eyes as he held him close had completely destroyed any fear Harry had.

Harry gently ran his other hand over his chest, feeling the raised welts and scars that he bore from his uncle's abuse. He kept the worst of them glamoured but the smaller ones he left alone. Ron had completely ignored the belt marks, whip lashes and other stains of his uncle. Harry wasn't sure whether he hadn't noticed them or just chose to ignore them because they were a part of Harry.

Harry thought about the worst three that he probably would keep concealed forever, but the books were bound to reveal them.

He traced a line up his left forearm where his uncle had craved the word freak.

He traced another line across his thigh where he'd been branded with the word whore, his uncle's favourite name for Harry other than boy.

The final line he traced was across his cheek, that scar hadn't come from his uncle but from his aunt and it was the worst by far. It was a great burn that spread from his lip up to his forehead. He'd burnt the bacon one morning when he was eight and his aunt threw the frying pan at him, the hot grease splattering across his face. That wasn't the worst of it, the incident had also blinded him in his left eye but he'd grown used to it now, only seeing half of the world at any one time.

Harry knew he'd have to reveal them before the books did; he didn't want his mum and dad finding out that way.

Harry turned onto his side, feeling a slight tinge of pain in his hips. It wasn't as bad as he was expecting, probably because Ron had treated him so gently. Like he was made of glass, something fragile that could fall apart at any moment, and in truth Harry was. He put on a brave face and played the saviour of the wizarding world, but in reality, he was just a broken boy who needed to be loved and Ron had given him that.

Harry drew gentle patterns along Ron's chest, up his neck. Harry's fingers were dancing over the freckles on his cheek when those radiant blue eyes opened slowly. As Ron slowly woke up, he noted Harry's fingers against his cheek.

Covering Harry's hand with his own, he placed a gentle kiss against Harry's palm which set Harry's heart racing and brought a flush to his cheeks.

"Hi…" Ron whispered.

"Hi…."

"Any regrets?"

That was Ron's biggest fear; that Harry regretted what had happened and they'd have to forget all about it and Ron wasn't sure he could. He loved Harry. Not like a brother, but he really loved him.

"None…"

Ron let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. For a minute they just stared at each other, they weren't friends anymore, they'd leapt across that line, hours before.

It was Harry who broke the silence.

"I think we should get up…"

Ron frowned.

"Stop overthinking…" Harry chastised as he whacked Ron with a pillow, "…that's my job. I just meant that we should rejoin the others. They are probably wondering why we disappeared.

Ron sat up and slid across the bed as Harry moved about the room collecting his clothes. He threw Ron's over his shoulder and laughed heartily as Ron's t-shirt landed on his head.

"Nice one, Har…" Ron grumbled.

By the time Ron pulled his jeans up, Harry was pulling his shirt on and was desperately trying to flatten his hair.

"No point, Har… It never lies flat."

"I know… I just don't want to walk out there looking like I've just had a wild romp."

Ron chuckled.

"No hope of that Harry…" he said pointing at Harry's neck.

There was no mirror in the room so Harry twisted his head trying to see what Ron was pointing at. He saw the bite mark on his shoulder and stared wide eyed at Ron.

"There's that and there is also a rather large hickey on your neck." He said grinning.

"RON!"

"What! I couldn't help myself."

"Oh, don't look so smug."

Ron couldn't help it but his grin grew.

"Well… there goes hiding it…" Harry sighed.

"Why would you want to hide it?" Ron asked, shrugging on his shirt.

Harry plucked his robes from the ground and draped them over his arm.

"I was hoping to break it to Severus a little better than this." Harry exclaimed, gesturing wildly at his neck.

"Why would you need to break the fact we slept together to that git?"

Harry glared sharply at Ron.

"It so happens that I kissed Severus before I kissed you." Harry snapped.

Ron's face fell.

_Harry wasn't his, he could never be._

Harry noticed this and fell to his knees before Ron. He rested his head on Ron's knee.

Despite trying to hold it in, tears filled Ron's eyes.

The first drop landed on Harry's cheek and his head shot up.

"Oh, Ron… don't cry…" Harry cried, gripping his cheeks in his hands.

"I'm not crying…" Ron mumbled.

"It isn't like that Ron…"

Harry kissed Ron's nose.

"I love Severus but I love you too. I don't why but it just feels so right with you."

"Really?" Ron asked, his voice cracking.

Harry nodded, wiping the tears from Ron's cheeks as he covered his face with little kisses.

"Yes… I just wanted to be able to tell him privately but I am not ashamed of what we did, Ron. It was…

"Wonderful… Magical… the best shag in the history of shags…" Ron chimed.

"All of the above." Harry whispered as he claimed Ron's lips in a gentle kiss.

Harry drew back as Ron wiped the remains of his tears from his face. Both boys pocketed their wands and made themselves as presentable as possible.

"Time to face the music…" Ron muttered.

Harry nodded silently, but slipped his hand into Ron's as he reached for the door.

They stepped out into the room.


	12. Meanwhile

**(This chapter takes place during the time Harry and Ron are alone in the other room.)**

When they broke for lunch, food began appearing over tables, which at some point appeared behind them, no doubt the work of house elves. Hermione frowned, thinking of them slaving away in the kitchen, when she was drawn away by Ginny and Luna, Neville following not far behind.

Ron was off chatting to the twins about something; Hermione spotted Harry making a beeline for them, probably hoping to avoid the adults and their questions. If there was one thing Harry truly hated, it was people asking questions he didn't want to answer.

She raised her hand to wave him over when Ron clapped a hand on his shoulder. She watched in confusion when Harry flinched violently and began to shake. She wasn't the only one who saw it; from the corner of the room she saw Molly and Remus making their way through the crowd towards Harry.

Ron looked quickly over his shoulder. Spotting his mother he quickly herded Harry into the other room. As they passed her, Ron caught her eye and smiled with a shrug. Almost telling her not to worry, he would look after Harry. Nodding, she quickly made to intercept Molly.

"Oh Hermione dear, is Harry ok? He didn't look well…" Molly asked.

Remus nodded in agreement.

"He's fine, Mrs Weasley. Ron's taken him into the other room just for a lie down." Hermione was lying through her teeth, she knew Harry wasn't ok but she hoped Ron could look after him. Hermione couldn't handle Harry's violent mood swings; he never lashed out, but one minute, he could be happy and bubbly and the next, cold and distant. She never knew how to react to them but Ron took it all in stride. He was the best person to be with Harry right now. She knew, like Ron, that Harry didn't have a good upbringing but the scale of the abuse that was coming to light was extraordinary.

She feared for her friend.

"Should I check on him? I'm sure Severus will have some potions if he's feeling sick…" Molly chattered on.

"No, he's fine. He will rest for a little while and he will be right as rain…"

_I hope so._ Hermione thought to herself.

"If you're sure…"

Hermione nodded, she had faith in Ron.

Sensing her distress, Remus took Molly by the arm.

"Come Molly, let's get a cup of tea and one of those yummy chocolate cakes."

"Oh you and your chocolate, Remus… It's bad for you, you know…"

Remus cast a glance back at Hermione whose frown had deepened.

Hermione watched Molly rejoin the other adults, obviously relaying the fact Harry wasn't feeling well, and she saw the brief look of concern cross Professor Snape's face.

_He cares for Harry._

That thought brought a small smile to her lips as she pondered that. Snape and Harry were such an odd pairing, but both were so broken by the lives they have lived.

Following that train of thought, the world seemed to fade around her as it often did when she was lost in thought.

Hermione failed to notice Luna and Neville waving away the others who approached her, allowing her a few minutes alone with her thoughts.

She noticed last year something had changed between Harry and Ron. When Ron abandoned Harry during the Tournament, he had been heartbroken. He missed Ron dreadfully and more than once, he cried on her shoulder, asking her why Ron hated him. None of her words had worked, she'd told him Ron was just being stubborn and jealous but it didn't seem to reach Harry. She had never seen him more depressed in that time and Ron was the same.

She saw the longing in his eye to be with his friend again but it was something more than that. Ron's eyes were loving and kind when they looked at Harry, he looked at Harry the same way Molly and Arthur looked at each other.

It clicked then.

_Ron loves Harry._

Hermione realises those glances and lingering looks were Ron trying to express the love he felt for the seeker. Ron wasn't good with words like she was so he tried to let his actions speak for him. The lingering looks, the hugs that lasted a fraction too long, the way he ruffled Harry's hair or patted his back any chance he could.

There was a pang of feeling in Hermione's chest.

Developing deeper into those feelings she began to realise something that she never allowed herself to feel.

She loved them too.

What she felt for Ron was obvious to everyone except him. She loved the way he laughed right from the bottom of his stomach, the way he blushed when she told him off, the way he smiled when she beat him at chess, even though they both knew he lets her win. She loved the way his hand slipped into hers almost unconsciously, the way those arms encircled her completely when she was having a bad day. She even loved the way he whined and moaned when she chastised him about homework.

But Harry… Harry was something else.

At first she thought she loved him like the brother she never had.

But it was more than that recently.

She has begun to see the way his eyes were warm and kind when she explained his homework to him. The way he tugged on his hair when he was frustrated. Those emerald green eyes captivated her; she loved the way he smelled of broom polish and the forest when he came in from flying or Quidditch practice. More than one night she found him curled on the common room sofas because he'd had a nightmare and she pulled him to her, holding him close and he cried silently. Her chest hurt as his tears made her shoulder damp. She'd buried her face in his hair, hoping beyond hope that she could comfort him.

_I love them both… and I can never have them._

As Hermione emerged from her thoughts, she had to stop her eyes filling with tears. She noted the chatter around her and drifted towards the room where Ron and Harry had disappeared into almost an hour ago.

She was hoping beyond hope, but when the door opened moments later, her heart sank.


	13. Hurting

**Previously:**

_When the doors opened minutes later, her heart sank._

**Now:**

Ron and Harry came into view, and the first thing Hermione noticed was Ron's arms curled protectively about Harry's waist. As her eyes swept up she took in the livid kiss mark on Harry's neck, the scratches on Ron's bicep and the kiss bruised lips both sported.

She knew without being told what had taken place in that room.

Her chest tightened painfully and tears welled in her eyes but she spun away before the boys could notice her.

Harry stepped out first, quiet as a mouse; he halted when Ron's arms wrapped around him. The taller boy buried his face in Harry's hair, murmuring something Hermione couldn't hear but the way Harry's face lit up, she knew it was a declaration of love.

_It hurts…_

As they left the safety of the doorway, the others turned to witness the scene and she noted the hurt look on Severus' face that she was sure mirrored her own.

Their eyes met across the room and Hermione quickly bowed her head to hide the tear falling down her cheek.

She heard the boys approach before she saw them. She quickly wiped the tears away and sucked in a deep breath. She plastered on her best smile and followed them towards the sofas.

Everyone seemed to have drifted back to their own seats but Hermione squeezed in beside Neville, hoping the taller boy would hide her from Harry and Ron.

The boys immediately noted Hermione's absence beside them but said nothing.

Ron's arm stayed curled about Harry's waist but he saw Severus sit beside Narcissa rather than Harry's left side where he wanted him to be.

Harry immediately noted the glare Severus sent towards Ron's arm and the hurt look he tried desperately to hide. Swinging his eyes to Hermione, he noted the same hurt look.

_God… what have I done…_

Harry sucked in a deep breath before addressing the silent room.

He knew he had to explain or he'd lose both Hermione and Severus and they were losses he couldn't bear.

Sirius spoke before Harry could even open his mouth.

"Well… that's unexpected… but boys will be boys… right Harry?" His godfather chuckled, sending a wink his way.

"There's more to it than that!" Harry spat.

Sirius froze at Harry's angry words.

"What more is there… you and Ron fell into bed together without any consideration for the feelings of others."

Harry was expecting a vicious outburst from Severus but not Hermione.

"Honestly… it's not like that… let me explain…"

"Explain! How could you think any explanation you can come up with can right this!" Hermione cried.

"It wasn't like that!" Ron yelled.

"Then what was it like?! You'd just string along old Hermione to fall into bed with Chosen One."

Harry gasped at her cruel words, the anger rising in him. Before he could even register it he was on his feet. He had Hermione shirt gripped in his fist pulling her close to him.

"It wasn't like that…" he hissed.

"Let me go!"

"NO! Not until you listen…"

"Fine. Explain."

He set Hermione back on her feet.

Harry turned his back on the room, on Severus' cold eyes and Hermione's face, red with anger.

"Yes, me and Ron slept together and I'm truly sorry if you or Severus felt hurt by that but it wasn't like that…"

Harry breathed deeply, calming his anger before turning back to them.

Ron was also on his feet and seeing Harry struggle with the words, he walked over to his friend, ignoring the looks and the oppressing silence.

He drew Harry into his arms.

"It's okay Harry… nothing and no one can hurt you here, I won't let them."

Harry nodded but the words wouldn't come.

"If you can't say it I can say it for you… I'll be right here by your side."

Harry clutched Ron's t-shirt.

"I'm not going anywhere… I promise… you're safe Harry."

Everyone took in the scene with interest. Hermione and Severus both wondered what could have happened.

Harry shook his head.

"I can do it…" he whispered.

"If you're sure…" Ron replied.

"Just… don't let go…" Harry asked as he took Ron's hand in his own.

"Never."

Ron led Harry back to their seats and with his head bowed Harry began to speak.

"You know some of the abuse I suffered at my aunt's house from the book…"

There was a round of nods and some mumbles of agreement.

"…but that was only the tip of the iceberg… it's far worse than that…"

Ron squeezed Harry's hand, lending him the strength he needed to speak.

"My uncle is a cruel man who treated me badly from the second I arrived in his home. At first it was just cruel words, he ignored me most of the time… but when I was 5 or 6 I began having outbursts of accidental magic. I think up until that point he could convince himself that I was normal but…"

Remus noted Sirius' anger building but placed a hand on his arm to restrain him, interrupting Harry now wouldn't be good.

Sirius relented at the stern look in Remus' eye and the firm grip on his arm.

"The first time he just screamed at me… it was terrifying but it was only words… and words can't hurt you unless you let them. By that point I was already used to being called useless and a burden. The next time…"

Harry let out a shuddering breath and squeezed Ron's hand even harder. The taller boy said nothing even as his fingers went numb.

Harry needed him now.

"…he…hit me…right across the face… it split my lip open and I remember tasting blood in my mouth…it hurt…"

Tears came now and Harry made no effort to stop them running down his face.

Severus and Hermione were stunned at the revelation.

"That year it only got worse…he started beating me… punching and kicking me till I passed out then throwing me in the cupboard for days with no food… they never took me to the doctors either. One time he broke 3 of ribs and I lay there for nearly a week in agony… every breath was painful."

"Oh Harry!" Hermione rushed over dropping to her knees, throwing her arms around him as she sobbed into his stomach.

Harry's free hand stroked her hair as he pressed on.

"After a while, I learned to live with pain and it became less of a problem for me but then on my sixth birthday…"

"It's okay…" Ron whispered "…he can't hurt you here."

Harry nodded.

Severus had a terrible sinking feeling.

"I… I c-c-can't…" Harry sobbed, breaking down he buried his face in Hermione's hair and Ron crushed him into a hug.

"Do you want me to say it or… do you want to show them?" Ron asked.

Without lifting his head from Hermione's strawberry scented hair, Harry gestured to the vial sitting on the table and Ron reached over to grab one.

Harry took it allowing the memory to come forth.

A glowing tear slid into the vial.

"Can you do it please…"

Ron nodded, withdrawing his wand, and pointing it at the vial.

As Ron uttered the spell, the silver mist began to rise again.

As it began to solidify, Ron pulled Hermione away from Harry. He lifted Harry into his lap, where he tucked his knees up and pulled Hermione to his side. The three sat together as the memory began to darken.


	14. Innocence Lost

As the memory darkened, all Ron could make out were the white walls which seemed to glow in the darkness and a ceiling that was very low. He noted that the ceiling wasn't flat, it was cascading in step like formation. He realised that this must be the cupboard under the stairs where Harry slept.

Harry whimpered in his arms, burrowing deeper into Ron's warmth. He'd already lived through this, he didn't want to see it again.

The memory drifted in closer where the shape of a very small boy could be made out. The boy had messy black hair and green eyes but wore no glasses.

_**Harry.**_

Ron noted that he was very small, even for six. He was clutching a watch that glowed with light, the dial was cracked but the young Harry was counting.

"_Ten… nine… eight…"_

Hermione was the one that spotted that Harry was counting down the minutes to midnight. She must have had a confused look on her face as Harry spoke.

"My birthday… I always celebrate at midnight…"

Hermione inclined her head in acknowledgement as she focused all her attention on the screen before her. This was going to somehow explain why she and Severus shouldn't be mad at Harry and Ron for what happened between them.

_As the watch chimed midnight, little Harry spoke seemingly to himself._

"_Harry birthday Harry…" he whispered. _

_The little Harry began to hum Happy Birthday when great thuds could be heard. Obviously someone was descending the stairs._

_Little Harry went stiff before diving under a ragged blanket drawing it up over his head._

"_Please… please… please" he pleaded._

_The footsteps stopped outside the door of the cupboard and a small click sounded as the latch was released._

_Soft light filtered through the door illuminating the impossible small bundle bound in blankets._

Molly choked down a sob at the tiny bundle.

_A large hand reached out and snatched the blankets away revealing a thin frame, drowning in an oversized t-shirt._

"_I know you're awake boy…" A harsh voice rasped, "…turn over and face me."_

_The little boy didn't move._

"_Now!" The voice snapped._

_The boy jumped and slowly rolled over, shielding his eyes from the light._

"_Uncle?"_

"_Yes, boy…" the large figure moved back._

_A thick, meaty face came into view as Harry's eye adjusted to the new amount of light. His large moustache dominated most of his face but what struck Severus was the excited glint in those eyes._

_The boy whimpered again, drawing his knees up._

"_Come with me." Harry's uncle demanded, moving back to give Harry room to exit the cupboard._

_Harry crawled out onto the cold floor and looked up at his uncle._

"_Uncle?"_

"_Today is your birthday, isn't it?" his uncle asked, his voice impossible soft._

_Harry nodded._

"_I've got a present for you but you've got to come with me to get it."_

_Harry beamed at the man above him._

"_A present for Harry?"_

"_Yes, but you can't tell Dudley he would get jealous, okay?"_

_Again Harry nodded, getting to his feet as his uncle walked through the kitchen to the back door. He swiftly turned the key and opened the door letting the humid night air rush in. _

_Despite the temperature, Harry shivered._

_His uncle watched through the door, gesturing Harry to follow._

_Harry opened his mouth to speak but his uncle pressed a finger to his lips, telling Harry to be silent and follow._

_Harry obeyed, he knew not doing what his uncle said led to pain and Harry didn't want pain._

_He tottered behind his uncle as they walked down the garden, the grass wet with dew under Harry's bare feet. _

_His uncle stopped at the shed, unlatched the door, and gestured inside._

_Harry peered into the darkness but couldn't see anything._

_He pointed inside._

_His uncle nodded with a smile as Harry walked inside._

_As Harry's eyes adjusted to the darkness, he couldn't see any gift; he couldn't see anything except dust and cobwebs. _

_Harry began to shiver violently as the door closed, blocking out the light from the moon. He could feel his Uncle's huge form behind him. He wanted to ask where his present was but thought better of it. His uncle would give it to him when he was ready. He stood still and silent, trying to stop the tremors running through his limbs._

_Harry's uncle ran his fingers through Harry's hair causing the boy to jump. His uncle never usually touched him in a kind way if he touched Harry at all. He didn't want to defile himself with the freak. _

_His meaty hands settled on Harry's shoulder as he spoke into his ear._

"_Do you want your present Harry?"_

_Harry thought about it for a moment, then nodded._

"_Okay, I need to sit you on the workbench while I get it ready."_

_He quickly picked the small boy up and placed him on the dusty bench, Harry didn't mind he was used to being dirty from all his chores. He swung his legs back and forth while his uncle pottered about. _

"_Okay, Harry. Your present is ready but I need to close your eyes."_

_Excited Harry obeyed without question._

_Harry felt his uncle's hot breath close to his face._

"_Open your mouth and stick out your tongue."_

_Harry tilted his head in confusion but obeyed. _

_He thought his present might be sweets or cake that he always saw Dudley eating._

_Something hot and wet entered Harry's mouth. _

_He bit down. _

_His uncle groaned._

_Harry tasted copper in his mouth and instantly recognised it as blood._

_His eyes shot open._

_His uncle's face was very close to his own._

_Too close._

_Blood smeared his uncle's mouth and Harry shuffled away._

_A firm hand gripped Harry's hair pulling his head back hard, making the boy whine in pain._

"_Stick out your tongue." His uncle demanded._

_Harry whined again as the grip tightened but obeyed hesitantly._

"_Good boy, Harry."_

_Harry flushed at the praise as his uncle's tongue invaded his mouth. _

_Harry squirmed but his uncle's grip held fast._

_He drew away, his moustache left a burning sensation across Harry's lips and chin._

_His uncle kissed down his neck, the whiskers tickled and Harry giggled._

_His uncle continued and bit down hard on Harry's shoulder causing the boy to yelp._

_His uncle clapped a hand over his mouth._

"_Shhhhh… quiet now…"_

_Harry whimpered as tears sprang to his eye._

"_You bit me first…. Remember Harry."_

_Harry whispered apologies against his uncle's palm._

"_Oh… I know you're sorry…"_

_His uncle ran his thumb over Harry's bruised lips._

"…_beautiful…"_

_Harry's head tilted in confusion, he didn't understand. He was beautiful. His uncle had never called him that before, only boy or freak. Not Harry and never beautiful._

_A hand gripped his shirt tearing it in two, exposing Harry's small and frail boy to the night air. Harry shivered, his nipples becoming stiff._

_A thumb ran over one and Harry whined at the strange sensation._

"_Are you enjoying your present, Harry?" his uncle asked._

_Harry shrugged. _

_It wasn't good but it was bad either. _

_His shoulder ached from the bite but the thumb sweeping across his chest was warm and gentle._

"_I'll make it even better."_

_His uncle reached between his legs, cupping his private place. He ran his fingers around it, squeezed it gently as Harry jerked and kicked._

"_NO… no… uncle… please…"_

"_Shhhhhhhhhh…. Pretty baby… you'll like this…"_

_He pulled Harry too big boxers down with little trouble._

_Harry began to cry, big tearing streaming from those green eyes and his uncle made a strange noise at those tears._

"_Yes… cry for me…" his murmured licking the tears from Harry's cheek._

_A hand pulled him to the end of the bench as his uncle forced him to lay back._

_Confusion and fear overtook Harry as a finger pressed against his most secret place before plunging inside._

"_AH!" Harry cried out._

_His uncle didn't bother to silence him this time._

_His uncle bent his finger and Harry could feel his long nail scraping against him._

_It hurt._

"_please… stop… NO!" Harry screamed._

"_If you think this is bad, it's going to get worse."_

_His uncle rose and Harry heard the clink of his belt and the swish of the leather as he removed it._

_If he was going to punish him he wanted it to be over._

_Harry heard the belt thud down next to his head._

_He whimpered and drew his knees, trying to make himself smaller when his uncle grabbed his hips painfully, dragging him across the rough wood._

_The jerking motion reopened the welt on his back and blood began to run down his back. Harry arched trying to relieve the pressure on the wounds._

_His uncle chuckled and Harry opened his eyes._

_His uncle had removed his trousers and was stroking himself, laughing at Harry's discomfort._

_He felt something soft and slightly wet at his back entrance and arched his back to get away from it when his hips were yanked down hard._

_It hurt…. It hurt… It hurt._

_His uncle groaned as Harry screamed._

_Harry could feel something warm running down his leg._

_His uncle pulled back and Harry thought it was over._

_He thrust back in sending pain racing through Harry's hip and he screamed again, tears pouring down his face as he pleaded._

"_No… please… stop…. STOP!"_

"_It's never going to stop… this is all you are good for, freak." His uncle hissed into his ears._

_He thrust again._

The memory went black.

Tears were pouring over everyone's cheeks as they watched the tiny boy being raped by his uncle. He screamed and pleaded with him over and over but the man just laughed.

Harry knew the memory wasn't finished, he just passed out because of the pain.

The memory began to lighten again.

_Little Harry jerked awake remembering his uncle thrusting into him, the pain flaring through his hips as he moved._

_Harry groaned, pressing a hand to his back._

"_Ow!"_

_A chuckle sounded from the corner._

_Harry's head snapped to the source of the sound and saw his uncle resting against the workbench._

_Harry realised he was on the floor. _

_He tried to get onto his knees but pain bloomed in his shoulder. Looking down at it, he could see it was sitting at an odd angle, obviously dislocated._

_Harry twisted his head around trying to focus and take in his surroundings. _

_He saw the wood burner in the corner was lit and there was something sticking out of it._

_His uncle's boot came down hard on his chest, knocking all the air from Harry's lungs as he coughed and spluttered._

"_I'm not finished with you yet, boy."_

_Harry whimpered, clawing at the ground, he had to get out. Get away._

_His uncle reached for a glove on the bench, pulling it on before turning back to the burner._

_Harry gasped, filling his lungs with air. _

_He pulled himself towards the door, choking down a scream when his injured shoulder made contact with the floor._

_He was almost there when a meaty hand clamped down on his ankle and dragged him back._

_His uncle loomed over him, holding a glowing poker. _

_He spat at it and Harry flinched at the hiss._

"_This is going to let everyone know I'd had you first… it will let them know you will always belong to me."_

_Harry hissed as he kicked and clawed at his uncle's hand, trying to free himself from that grip but he wasn't strong enough. _

_His uncle gripped his knee, spreading his legs and brough the poker down on his thigh._

_Harry screamed as the world swam and went dark._

Everyone held their breath to see if the memory would lighten again. It didn't. The darkness remained for a moment, then disappeared back into silver mist before vanishing all together.

All eyes turned to Harry who was still sitting on Ron's lap, his hands clapped over his ears.

His eyes were closed, his breathing even.

He'd exhausted himself to the point he slumped in Ron's arms muttering about being a good boy, when sleep finally came over him.

Ron knew Harry didn't sleep well and decided to let him while he explained the rest. He could do that.

Without a word, Ron stood, cradling Harry in his arms as he headed for the other room.

Ron placed Harry on the bed, covering him with the blankets. For a minute he just sat there running his fingers through Harry's hair. He didn't see any major scars when he had been naked earlier but he was sure they were there for the memory alone, but he had the feeling there were more.

Hermione had observed the scene from the doorway.

She walked over and sat at Ron's side, placing her head on his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Ron… I didn't know…"

"I know you didn't but Harry chose me… you have to understand that… we didn't mean to hurt anyone…"

Hermione nodded, choosing her words carefully.

"That's not the end is it?"

Ron shook his head.

He stood and gestured for Hermione to follow. At the threshold he spoke.

"Is there a charm you can place on the room, so we can know when he wakes up or if he has a nightmare?"

Hermione bit her lip and nodded.

"I know one but I've never done it before."

"When have you ever failed at a spell, Mione?"

She smiled at the old jest.

Hermione pulled her wand from her robes, pointing it towards the bed.

She muttered the spell beneath her breath.

She nodded to Ron, who pulled the door shut as they turned to the others.

Many seemed to be lost in thought, some like Molly and Sirius were openly crying.

Severus just sat dumbfounded by what he had seen reminded of his own childhood. The memory of his father's fists came crashing down upon him but he forced them back. Now wasn't the time for his pain.

Ron sat and cleared his throat.

"That wasn't the end…"

Nobody spoke.

"Early Harry had a panic attack, he was probably terrified that those memories… would come up in the book and he panicked…"

Hermione bowed her head.

"… I noticed and took Harry into the other room to calm down… he's had panic attacks before… usually after a nightmare so I know how to deal with them."

"How?" It was Neville that spoke.

"How?" Ron asked.

"How do you deal with them?"

"I would normally climb into Harry's bed and hold him. Tell him everything would be okay and that nothing could hurt him if I was there. I'd coach him through mimicking my breathing because he tends to hyperventilate and eventually he'd fall asleep…right there… in my arms."

Neville nodded and Hermione began to put the pieces together. Ron and Harry sleeping together wasn't to hurt her or Severus, it was to help Harry. She felt so ashamed at what she had said to Harry and desperately wanted to apologize to him.

Ron placed a hand on her knee, letting her know she could apologize later when Harry had rested.

He always seemed to know what she was thinking when it mattered most.

"We went into the room and I calmed him down. We talked and Harry told me all about that…" Ron spat out the last word gesturing to the empty space where the memory played.

"… he cried and I held him and it just happened. We didn't mean anything by it… I swear… I just wanted him not to be afraid anymore… I wanted him to know he was loved…" Tears ran down Ron's face.

"…That I loved him and that I would always be there for him, no matter what. I wanted him to know that it wasn't his fault…"

Ron placed his hand over his heart.

"I never meant to hurt you and I'm sorry but I don't regret what happened. It helped Harry a lot… I love him… I love him so much and that's never going to change…"

Ron stopped speaking as his emotions overwhelmed him.

Hermione looked at Ron, then at Severus. He wore a strange expression on his face, somewhere between jealousy and admiration, but she wasn't prepared for what happened next.


	15. Pieces

**Previously:**

"… _he cried and I held him and it just happened. We didn't mean anything by it… I swear… I just wanted him not to be afraid anymore… I wanted him to know he was loved…" Tears ran down Ron's face._

"…_That I loved him and that I would always be there for him, no matter what. I wanted him to know that it wasn't his fault…"_

_Ron placed his hand over his heart._

"_I never meant to hurt you and I'm sorry but I don't regret what happened. It helped Harry a lot… I love him… I love him so much and that's never going to change…"_

_Ron stopped speaking as his emotions overwhelmed him._

_Hermione looked at Ron, then at Severus. He wore a strange expression on his face, somewhere between jealousy and admiration, but she wasn't prepared for what happened next._

**Now: **

Severus rose, his face completely expressionless as he stalked over to Ron. Ron's head remained bowed but Hermione could feel him stiffen as the Potions Master stood before him.

Hermione could see Severus' eyes were ablaze as he gripped the front of Ron's shirt so hard his knuckles turned a deadly shade of white as he dragged Ron to his feet.

Molly rose to her feet to defend her son but Arthur restrained her from interfering.

Severus drew Ron onto his toes and he tilted his head up with the other hand, so their eyes could meet.

Ron's blue eyes were wet with tears.

Severus suddenly released him but before Ron's heels could touch the floor, two strong arms wrapped around him and he was drawn into an impossible hard chest.

Stunned, Ron's arms hung limply at his sides before coming up to encircle the professor.

Severus' one hand ran up and down Ron's back as the other tangled in his silken red hair.

Ron's hands clenched in Severus' robes as tears sprung to his eyes.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" Ron sobbed into his chest.

"Hush… it's okay… it's okay…" Severus murmured.

"I didn't mean… to hurt…. Anyone…" Ron stuttered with hiccupping breaths.

"I know… thank you… for helping him… thank you… thank you…" Severus whispered reverently.

As Ron's tears slowed, he relaxed in Severus' embrace, accepting the hushed words of comfort and forgiveness. Ron expected Severus to smell of potions, but was surprised when he smelt sandalwood, bitter chocolate and an acidic undertone that was pickling liquor used to preserve ingredients. Ron found the combination quite pleasant as he burrowed further into Severus' chest.

Severus held the boy close as his tears dampened the front of his robes, it hurt that he wasn't Harry's first but he knew neither had meant any harm in their actions and he couldn't hold it against them, especially after seeing Harry's memories. His own memories of his father haunted him in those minutes that felt like hours, he felt every blow, every cruel word. He remembered the way his mother used to hold him and tell him everything was going to be okay even when it wasn't. He remembered how safe he'd felt in her arms and understood that this is what Ron had given to Harry.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…." Ron murmured over and over.

"Hush… sweetheart… it's okay…"

Severus drew away, cupping Ron's face in his hands as he wiped away the last of his tears.

Ron's eyes widened when he met Severus' dark gaze. He noticed that his eyes weren't black but a very dark shade of purple and they were shining with affection.

There was something else there, something that made his heart flutter in his chest and flush rise to his cheeks.

Severus spotted this, he leaned down to whisper in Ron's ear.

"I forgive you Ronald… I know you didn't mean to hurt me or Miss Granger but I can assure you that you will be making up for that in the near future…"

Severus released the boy and took a step back.

Ron gulped. Severus' admission sounded like a threat but the tone he used spoke of something far more intimate, something Ron wasn't ready to confront just yet.

Before anyone could speak, a scream shattered the silence.


	16. Nightmares

Chapter 16 – Nightmares

(The song used is Father and Son by Cat Stevens)

_Harry knew he was dreaming, but that did not make him any less afraid. He was in a dining room, with a long table. People filled every seat; some wore hoods but Harry recognised a few faces._

_The long, almost silver hair of Lucius Malfoy seemed to radiate light in the dim room. He was chatting quite animatedly with his wife, Narcissa. To his left, towards the head of the table, sat Bellatrix Lestrange, the woman who helped torture Neville's parents._

_But what scared Harry the most was the man sat at the head of the table._

_Pale, almost translucent skin gave him an eerie glow, but those blood red eyes pierced Harry. He felt like they were looking into his soul._

_Lord Voldemort._

_Harry stiffened as the gaze landed on him._

_He knew he wasn't there, but he couldn't move._

_His hands were bound, a rag stuffed in his mouth._

_Tears rolled down his cheeks._

_He remembered the way Pettigrew had cut him; he needed his blood for the ritual to bring Voldemort back. His arm throbbed at the memory._

_He remembered the sibilant hiss of "Kill the spare", Cedric's lifeless eyes staring at him, the boy's spirit begging Harry to take his body back._

_Harry was trembling, fear coursing through him._

_He couldn't move. _

_Couldn't escape._

_The Dark Lord's gaze left him, lingering briefly on the empty seat to his right before settling on the manic woman seated to his left._

"_Bella…" Voldemort hissed._

"_Yes, my Lord…"_

"_This one is beginning to bore me…" Voldemort waved a dismissive hand in Harry's direction._

_Bella jumped out of her seat and began prowling towards Harry._

_She withdraws a knife from the belt of her dress and cut the gag away, slicing Harry's cheek in the process, warm blood running down his face._

_Harry's mouth moved without thinking._

"_Please… my children… please I'll do anything… please…"_

"_Don't worry… I'm sure Fenrir will take good care of them." Bellatrix chuckled._

_Harry hadn't noticed the werewolf before. He sat in a shadowed corner, eyes closed, looking quite bored but at the mention of his name, those amber eyes flicked open. A cruel smile appeared on the werewolf's face. _

"_NO… please… please…"_

_The door swung open. Harry's head whipped round as he saw Peter Pettigrew, dragging two small children behind him._

_They were twins from the look of it, no older than 5._

_Harry's blood boiled at the sight of Pettigrew._

"_NO! Please… I'll do anything… Anything!"_

_The little girl just sobbed quietly but the boy kicked and thrashed._

"_Mommy! Mommy!"_

"_please… please…"_

_Voldemort held up a pale hand and Pettigrew froze._

"_Bellatrix… I've heard enough begging…"_

_The witch nodded animatedly as she drew her wand._

"_CRUCIO!"_

_Pain flared through Harry's body and he pulled his restraints taut. He tried to hold it in but it was too much._

_He screamed. _

Ron knew that scream. He'd spent enough nights sleeping next to Harry to know he was having a nightmare.

He sprang away from Severus and marched towards the room.

Hermione and Severus right behind him, closely followed by Remus, Sirius, and his parents.

He threw open the door.

Harry was thrashing on the bed as if he were trying to throw off some unseen attacker. Ron could see his shirt was soaked with sweat and he was mumbling in between those blood curdling screams.

"Please… please…" Harry whispered over and over.

This was a bad one, sometimes Harry moaned in his sleep. Sometimes he called out for his mother or Cedric, but these screams were something else.

They all stood frozen at the threshold, but surprisingly it was Sirius who pushed through the crush.

He strode over to the bed, wrapping his arms around Harry as he climbed up next to him.

Harry thrashed harder, muttering sobbing pleas as Sirius began to hum.

Hermione recognised the tune; it was a muggle song.

Harry's eye sprang open, bucking and kicking, trying to loosen the hold on him when Sirius began to sing.

His voice was low but clear.

"**It's not time to make a change**

**Just relax, take it easy**

**You're still young, that's your fault**

**There's so much you have to know**

**Find a girl, settle down**

**If you want you can marry**

**Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy**

**I was once like you are now, and I know that it's not easy**

**To be calm when you've found something going on**

**But take your time, think a lot**

**Why, think of everything you've got**

**For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not."**

Molly recognised what Sirius was doing; she'd often sung to her children when they were scared or sick. She still did with the twins and Ginny.

To everyone's surprise Harry calmed and when Sirius' verse drew to an end, Harry began to sing back. His voice was hoarse and breaking from the screaming but the words were clear.

"**How can I try to explain, cause when I do he turns away again**

**It's always been the same, same old story**

**From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen**

**Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away**

**I know I have to go"**

It was a song about the relationship between a father and his son. When Sirius took over again, Harry buried his face in Sirius' chest.

"**It's not time to make a change**

**Just sit down, take it slowly**

**You're still young, that's your fault**

**There's so much you have to go through**

**Find a girl, settle down**

**If you want you can marry**

**Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy"**

By the time the song came to a close, Harry was quiet and calm. He listened to Sirius' song, letting the words wash over him, driving the terror of his nightmare away, knowing he was safe.

"You okay, Prongslet?"

Harry shook his head.

"What can I do?"

"…..my…"

"Hmmmmm?"

"I want my mummy…" Harry whispered.

Sirius glanced back over his shoulder, where he could see Molly, her head tucked into Arthur's shoulder.

Arthur kissed her gently on her forehead before nudging her forward.

Sirius relinquished his hold on Harry as Molly easily slid in to take his place, he felt a pang of jealousy but quickly stamped it down. He knew Harry only had one or two mother figures and he wasn't going to let his jealous nature get in the way of Harry's happiness.

Molly whispered soothing words in Harry's ear as he lay his head down on her breast.

Molly shot Arthur a knowing look. He nodded as he herded the others from the room.

"Let's get some tea…"

Ron protested rather loudly but was silenced by the look on his father's face.

The door closed and Molly relaxed.

She pressed soft kisses to Harry's sweaty forehead as he burrowed into her. Molly smiled; she'd always thought of Harry as one of her own children but in moments like this, she felt that connection to him. The connection all mothers share with their children.

As he burrowed into her warmth, Harry had unconsciously brought his thumb to his mouth and was sucking on it. Molly knew Harry only did that when he was truly scared. It was adorable to her, watching Harry's green eyes, wet with unshed tears following her every move, his rapid sucking as he tried to slow his heart to mirror hers.

Reaching into the pocket of her cardigan, Molly pulled out an item she had purchased especially for Harry.

The object dangled from her finger, swinging gently.

Harry's eyes widened when he realised what it was.

A pacifier.

His brow creased with confusion but he allowed Molly to remove his thumb from his mouth and replace it with the pacifier.

Harry held it in his mouth for a moment getting used to the strange texture before giving an experimental suck.

"That's it…" Molly soothed.

Encouraged Harry gave a firmer suck followed by another. Quickly, the tension fled from his body and he melted against Molly allowed her to hold him close and whisper sweet nothings in his ear.

"That's it Harry…"

Harry inhaled her homely scent, something he couldn't describe in words, but it smelt like the Burrow, like home.

Molly rocked Harry against her gently as he relaxed.

His eyes blinked sleepily but they didn't close. They would be very lucky if they could get Harry to sleep tonight. More than once she'd found him on the sofa at home, not wanting to sleep after a nightmare. More than once she had taken him to her room and let him crawl in between her and Arthur where he would lay his head on her breast, just listening to the beat of her heart.

That always calmed him and soon he would drift off, protected in their embrace.

Severus cupped a cooling cup of coffee in his hand; it was untouched. He was worried about Harry which showed on his face as Ron looked at him.

Arthur had dragged them away while his mother took over from Sirius, who now sat on the far sofa, chatting with Arthur about the song he had sung. He launched into a speech about Cat Stevens and the songs he wrote, even crooning a verse or two from his favourites which caused both Andromeda and Narcissa to laugh at his antics, while Remus shook his head smiling.

Ron and Severus sat opposite each other, assessing each other but saying nothing. They both worried for Harry and wanted nothing more than to be with him at that moment, but Ron wasn't sure how he felt about the Potions Master.

It was true that earlier, when Severus hugged him, he had felt something in his chest. It was similar to what he felt for Harry but not quite the same and he wasn't sure about what to do.

He saw Bill and Charlie chatting from his position on the sofa and wondered whether he could ask them about it. Bill was openly bi-sexual and Charlie was asexual, he loved his dragons more than anything. He'd explained it to Ron before but he didn't quite understand.

Ron fidgeted under Severus' gaze, trying desperately to sort his own feelings out. Anyone who knew Ron also knew that he wasn't good with words or feelings.

"Do stop fidgeting, Mr. Weasley…" Severus drawled.

"Sorry!" Ron squeaked, ducking his head, heat rising in his cheeks.

Severus sighed, he set his untouched coffee down on the table and moved to sit next to the nervous redhead.

When Ron didn't move or speak, he sighed again.

"It's okay."

Ron shrugged.

"I've been where you are Ronald… Not knowing if you feel one thing or another…"

Ron shrugged again.

"Look… I'm not expecting anything from you… anything at all…"

Ron's head snapped up, eyes wide.

"I'm not going to ask for anything… I'll wait for you to come to me if that is what you choose."

Before Ron could say anything, his mother emerged from the room, tucking something in her pocket.

"He's asking for you…" Molly said, gesturing to the room.

Ron and Severus both stood, before looking at each other, then Molly.

"He wants both of you…"

Severus swiftly walked into the room, while Ron just twisted his hands in his shirt.

His mother kissed him gently on the cheek.

"Go… sweetheart… he needs you both right now…"

Ron gave a small nod before shuffling after Severus.

Entering the room, Ron closed the door behind him. He stayed facing it for a second, trying to steady his rapid heartbeat.

Turning to the bed, he saw Severus' back was to him and Harry's arm was wrapped around his shoulder, his head buried in the Potion Master's chest.

Slowly Ron edged over to the bed, carefully climbing over Severus and Harry's entangled legs. He lay down his front to Harry's back, leaving a bit of space between them.

For a minute they were all silent, just taking comfort in being together and being there for Harry.

Severus lay there watching the redhead, noting the gap he'd left between him and Harry who was trying his best to wrap himself around Severus.

Severus knew Ron was nervous and anxious about him being there. They didn't have the best of the relationships, the nicest they'd been to each other in recent years was when they said nothing at all. At worst, they screamed at each other.

Severus knew Ron was unsure of his place in all this; he was probably wondering whether this was a one off, whether he'd have a place in Harry's heart beside Severus.

Severus didn't know how right he was as Ron was thinking all of those things, but most of all, Ron felt inadequate next to Severus.

Severus was intelligent, quiet and could offer Harry much more than he could. Ron, by comparison, was loud and brash, things that Harry actively avoided in other people.

Ron was shocked from his thoughts when a long arm came to wrap around his hip, drawing him closer to Harry until they were firmly pressed together.

Ron held his breath as those long, tapered fingers ran up and down his spine.

After a minute, he began to relax, sending a small smile in Severus' direction.

Severus gave a small nod and they lay together. He knew he and Ron would have to talk about their past at some point but for now Harry was all that mattered.

For the next half an hour they just cuddled and dozed. It wasn't until the sun was beginning to sink in the sky, signalling that it would be time for dinner soon, that the peace was shattered by a rumbling stomach.

Severus raised an eyebrow at Ron.

"Wasn't me…" he pouted.

"Sorry… it was mine…" Harry confessed, "…I didn't have any lunch…"

Ron snuggled into Harry's hair.

"Mimsy…" Severus grumbled.

"You call Mimsy, Sir."

Severus grunted in response, not wanting to move.

"Tell the elf what you want for dinner, boys."

Ron nodded and eagerly relayed his order to Mimsy, while Harry thought about his.

"Um… I'd like some chicken salad please…" Harry asked.

"I'll have the same."

Severus waved the elf away who disappeared with a pop.

Harry quickly wiggled out of Ron's grip, heading to the bathroom, which appeared attached to the room, leaving Severus and Ron alone.

Not wanting to scare the boy, Severus reached out a finger and gently traced small patterns on the back of Ron's hand.

The boy yawned and sent a small smile at Severus which he returned.

Harry observed them for a moment, happy they were building something between them. Even if it was small and fragile right now, it would grow and become stronger, he was sure of it.

Mimsy popped back into the room to set a tray of food on the bedside table.

He joined Severus and Ron, who were sitting on the edge of the bed, eating happily.

Harry tucked into his own salad, enjoying the crisp textures and light flavours. Not many people knew, but Harry could never eat a lot, despite how much Molly tried to fatten him up. Years of forced starvation had taken their toll on him. He ate slowly as he listened to Ron chat seemingly to himself about new products the twins were working on. By the time he finished, Ron and Severus had already put their plates off to the side to be collected later.

They sat for a moment in content silence before Severus spoke.

"I think we've put this reading off long enough…"

Harry nodded but made no move to leave the room.

Severus stood, stretching out his long limbs.

"Come on…" Severus prompted.

Harry and Ron stood and followed him out.

Everyone was waiting for them. Hermione had the book in her lap once more, eager to finish reading.

Harry smiled at her bookish friend as he settled himself between Ron and Severus.

"Are we ready?" Albus asked.

A few people glared but the Headmaster ignored it.

Harry nodded, burrowing into Severus' side, curling his feet up in Ron's lap.

"Very well… Miss Granger if you please."

Hermione nodded, opening the book once more.

"**Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon…"**

Severus chuckled quietly, bringing a smile to Harry's face as they settled into reading once more.


	17. Reading

I am going to get moving with the reading in the next few chapters, this is chapter 17 and we are still on chapter 2 – ooops!

**Previously:**

_Hermione nodded, opening the book once more._

"_Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon…"_

_Severus chuckled quietly, bringing a smile to Harry's face as they settled into reading once more. _

**Now:**

"…**And come back and find the house in ruins?" she snarled.**

"**I won't blow up the house," said Harry, but they weren't listening.**

"**I suppose we could take him to the zoo," said Aunt Petunia slowly, "… and leave him in the car. …"**

"**That car's new, he's not sitting in it alone. …"**

There were a few grumbles around the room but there seemed to be an unspoken agreement that people remained quiet. Most probably knew Harry wouldn't like them being upset, but only Ron and Severus knew how emotionally exhausted Harry was, as he curled between them.

"…**Dudley began to cry loudly. In fact, he wasn't really crying — it had been years since he'd really cried — but he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted.**

"**Dinky Duddydums, don't cry, Mummy won't let him spoil your special day!" she cried, flinging her arms around him."**

Two sets of loud laughter filled the room. One was light and almost breathy as he tried to stifle it, the other was almost booming in its volume.

Harry was probably one of the few people who can tell the twins apart with ease, but their laughs really gave them away, they were so different.

Harry mused on it for a moment.

"You know…" he said.

The speech quieted as he spoke.

"…if you want people not to tell you apart, you shouldn't laugh in front of them…"

"Well, little Harrykins…"

"It is one of the only things…"

"that gives us away!"

The twins' speech bounced back and forth.

Harry snorted.

"What's so funny?" The twins asked together.

"So many things give you away…"

Arthur looked at Harry in disbelief.

"I can tell them apart with ease." Harry said with pride.

"No you can't." The twin jested.

"I can."

"Prove it."

Harry sat up, his face serious.

"You're Fred…" he said pointing to the twin on the left.

"…and you're George…" he said pointing to the twin on the right.

"How can you be sure?" Arthur asked gently.

Harry sighed.

"It's simple really…"

Harry was met with silence so he continued.

"…Well their laughs are very different to start, but that's an easy one. George is the quieter of the two, while Fred is the loud one and does most of the talking. They have different hobbies, Fred loves Quidditch like Ron; but George loves to read, and he likes potions too. They also excel in different areas of study, Fred is much between at Charms and Transfiguration while George is better at theoretical subjects like Potions. They like different food, Fred won't touch fish or anything remotely bitter but George likes dark chocolate, especially Honeydukes' best. They look different too; George's eyes are a dark shade of blue and his hair is lighter than Fred's. Fred has more freckles on his face but George's arms are covered in them. See… lots of things…"

Harry ran through some of the main reasons shocking Arthur and Molly, who often struggled telling them apart. Harry thought it was due to the misconception that they were seen as two halves of the same whole when they are two very different people in reality. Most people didn't even bother to try and tell them apart, but the differences had always been obvious to Harry.

The silence echoed around the room; not even the twins could believe what Harry had just said.

Hermione could see the blush rising on Harry's cheeks so she quickly cleared her throat and began to read again, preventing any comments from the room.

"…**I … don't … want … him … t-t-to come!" Dudley yelled between huge, pretend sobs. "He always sp-spoils everything!" He shot Harry a nasty grin through the gap in his mother's arms. Just then, the doorbell rang — "Oh, good Lord, they're here!" said Aunt Petunia frantically — and a moment later, Dudley's best friend, Piers Polkiss, walked in with his mother. Piers was a scrawny boy with a face like a rat. He was usually the one who held people's arms behind their backs while Dudley hit them."**

Hermione stopped reading for a moment, scowling intently at the book as she imagined the bigger boy hitting Harry.

The small boy cuddled on the other sofa, giggling at his friend's scathing look. After the day he'd had, he couldn't conjure up any more negative emotions, so he just rolled with it completely exhausted, but happy nestled between Ron and Severus.

"…**Dudley stopped pretending to cry at once. Half an hour later, Harry, who couldn't believe his luck, was sitting in the back of the Dursleys' car with Piers and Dudley, on the way to the zoo for the first time in his life."**

"Hey, mum… we've never been to the zoo, have we?" Ginny asked.

"No dear… we haven't…" Molly replied, trying to figure out where her daughter was going with her question.

"Harry, after this is all over, why don't we all go to the zoo?"

Harry's eyes widened and he nodded eagerly.

"**Oh! That would be wonderful." Molly chimed. Ginny was like her in many ways but was sensitive to the emotions of others just like her father.**

"**His aunt and uncle hadn't been able to think of anything else to do with him, but before they'd left, Uncle Vernon had taken Harry aside.**

"**I'm warning you," he had said, putting his large purple face right up close to Harry's, "I'm warning you now, boy — any funny business, anything at all — and you'll be in that cupboard from now until Christmas."**

**I'm not going to do anything," said Harry, "honestly…"**

Hermione paused for a moment waiting for the response but the room stayed silent.

"**But Uncle Vernon didn't believe him. No one ever did. The problem was strange things often happened around Harry and it was just no good telling the Dursleys he didn't make them happen. Once, Aunt Petunia, tired of Harry coming back from the barbers looking as though he hadn't been at all…"**

"Accidental magic…" Remus whispered.

"Awesome!" Sirius spoke with a tone of awe.

"Harry might have some metamorphmagus blood." Chimed Tonks.

"That's only the beginning…" Harry whispered into Severus' robes.

"… **she'd had taken a pair of kitchen scissors and cut his hair so short he was almost bald except for his bangs, which she left "to hide that horrible scar." Dudley had laughed himself silly at Harry, who spent a sleepless night imagining school the next day, where he was already laughed at for his baggy clothes and taped glasses. Next morning, however, he had gotten up to find his hair exactly as it had been before Aunt Petunia had sheared it off. He had been given a week in his cupboard for this, even though he had tried to explain that he couldn't explain how it had grown back so quickly."**

"See?" Harry asked.

Hermione only smiled in response.

"**Another time, Aunt Petunia had been trying to force him into a revolting old sweater of Dudley's (brown with orange puff balls). The harder she tried to pull it over his head, the smaller it seemed to become, until finally it might have fitted a hand puppet, but certainly wouldn't fit Harry. Aunt Petunia had decided it must have shrunk in the wash and, to his great relief, Harry wasn't punished.**

**On the other hand, he'd gotten into terrible trouble for being found on the roof of the school kitchens. Dudley's gang had been chasing him as usual when, as much to Harry's surprise as anyone else's, there he was sitting on the chimney. The Dursleys had received a very angry letter from Harry's headmistress telling them Harry had been climbing school buildings."**

"You apparated?" Severus asked.

"Must have… didn't think that at the time…" Harry said nonchalantly.

"**But all he'd tried to do (as he shouted at Uncle Vernon through the locked door of his cupboard) was jump behind the big trash cans outside the kitchen doors. Harry supposed that the wind must have caught him in mid-jump…"**

"Harry you come up with the strangest explanations." Hermione giggled.

Harry just shrugged, smiling back.

That small smile made Hermione's heart race.

"**But today, nothing was going to go wrong. It was even worth being with Dudley and Piers to be spending the day somewhere that wasn't school, his cupboard, or Mrs. Figg's cabbage-smelling living room. While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia. He liked to complain about things: people at work, Harry, the council, Harry, the bank, and Harry were just a few of his favorite subjects. This morning, it was motorcycles.**

"… **roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums," he said, as a motorcycle overtook them.**

"**I had a dream about a motorcycle," said Harry, remembering suddenly. "It was flying."**

**Uncle Vernon nearly crashed into the car in front. He turned right around in his seat and yelled at Harry, his face like a gigantic beet with a moustache: "MOTORCYCLES DON'T FLY!"**

**Dudley and Piers sniggered.**

"**I know they don't," said Harry. "It was only a dream."**

"NO! It wasn't a dream, it was a memory…" Harry sighed.

"You remember that?" Sirius asked quietly.

"I remember everything that happened that night."

No one said anything but most of the adults wore sombre expressions, and even Harry's friends knew what he was referring to. Hermione knew Harry wasn't ready to talk about that yet and swiftly kept reading.

"**But he wished he hadn't said anything. If there was one thing the Dursleys hated even more than his asking questions, it was his talking about anything acting in a way it shouldn't, no matter if it was in a dream or even a cartoon — they seemed to think he might get dangerous ideas. It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with families. **

**The Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice creams at the entrance and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Harry what he wanted before they could hurry him away, they bought him a cheap lemon ice pop. It wasn't bad, either, Harry thought, licking it as they watched a gorilla scratching its head who looked remarkably like Dudley, except that it wasn't blond…"**

A few laughs rang out.

"Harrykins…"

"Where have you been hiding…"

"This humour…" The twins asked.

Harry shrugged. "Never needed it before."

"**Harry had the best morning he'd had in a long time. He was careful to walk a little way apart from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunchtime, wouldn't fall back on their favorite hobby of hitting him. They ate in the zoo restaurant, and when Dudley had a tantrum because his knickerbocker glory didn't have enough ice cream on top, Uncle Vernon bought him another one and Harry was allowed to finish the first. Harry felt, afterward, that he should have known it was all too good to last…"**

Harry stiffened and Severus raised a hand to stop Hermione.

His face clearly asked whether Harry was okay.

"I'm fine…" Harry said dismissively "…go on Mione…"

"**After lunch they went to the reptile house. It was cool and dark in there, with lit windows all along the walls. Behind the glass, all sorts of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone. Dudley and Piers wanted to see huge, poisonous cobras and thick, man-crushing pythons. Dudley quickly found the largest snake in the place. It could have wrapped its body twice around Uncle Vernon's car and crushed it into a trash can — but at the moment it didn't look in the mood. In fact, it was fast asleep. Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils.**

"**Make it move," he whined at his father. Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge."**

Harry couldn't keep the grin off his face remembering what came next.

"**Do it again," Dudley ordered. Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly with his knuckles, but the snake just snoozed on.**

"**This is boring," Dudley moaned. He shuffled away.**

**Harry moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. He wouldn't have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself — no company except stupid people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long. It was worse than having a cupboard as a bedroom, where the only visitor was Aunt Petunia hammering on the door to wake you up; at least he got to visit the rest of the house.**

**The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with Harry's.**

**It winked."**

"That's stupid…" Hermione said, "snakes can't wink, they can't even blink because they don't have eyelids."

"I know Mione… Mika taught me that but I was just a kid."

"Oh, right. I forgot about Mika."

Confused looks painted the faces of several people except Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna and Neville.

Harry looked down at Kreacher.

"Would you mind?"

The old house elf shook his head and disappeared almost silently, a skill Dobby hadn't perfected yet.

Seconds later Kreacher returned with a huge glass tank almost three times bigger than him.

He levitated over to Harry and set it down gently on the table.

Hermione could see the writhing mass of colours within. Harry's snakes set her on edge a little but caring for them seemed to calm Harry.

Harry reached in and pulled out a pure white snake, it was only about a foot long but it seemed to glow in the fading sunlight.

As Harry cradled the reptile to his chest, Hermione watched Severus lean away as Ron leapt to his feet.

"WHAT IS THAT?" Ron bellowed.

"shhhh…" Harry hissed, "This is Mika and he's my pet."

Ron paled as the snake reared up, its forked tongue flicking in the air.

"He's scenting you…"

Ron nodded but looked rather scared.

"He's a Blizzard Corn Snake, completely harmless as are most of the others…" Harry explained.

"Most?" Severus asked.

Harry smiled and began to talk seemingly to himself. From the tank he drew out a 4 foot long green snake that bore white spots all down its body.

"This is Tree, she's a green tree python, they are found in New Guinea and Australia and can grow up to 6 feet so she's almost fully grown. She likes to wander as they like trees and bushes. I've found her in the Whopping Willow more than once but she's a gentle giant."

No one spoke as Harry set Tree down and drew out another snake. This one was almost completely red except for some black saddling.

"This is Flame and he's a Bloodred Corn Snake. Again, completely harmless…" The small red snake slithered up onto Harry's shoulder, peering back down into the tank.

"The tank itself is charmed to be a lot bigger on the inside than it looks." Harry explained as he drew out a 6 foot long snake, it was a soft yellow and looked like it had white stripes but what stunned Hermione was the shocking red eyes.

"This is Daisy, she's an Albino Ball Python which is why she has red eyes, she's a constrictor so she wraps around her prey and crushes it. Snakes this size can do serious damage to a man so don't piss her off." Harry warned.

The next one he brought out was jet black but as it wrapped around Harry's wrist, Hermione could see the red stripes on its underside. She gasped.

"Harry, that's a spitting cobra right?"

"Yep, this is Midnight, she and Mika were my first snakes. She's not native to Britain so she must have been someone's pet but they abandoned her."

Midnight flared out her hood showing off her shiny black scales.

"Aren't you beautiful." Harry whispered, stroking her head. "She's about 5 feet long now but she will grow to just over 7 feet. She's one of my most deadly snakes as she is venomous. Their bite can be fatal but they also spit venom when threatened."

"How many more?" Ron squeaked.

"Just one…" Harry said as he drew out the most beautiful creature anyone had ever seen.

"Oh, she's beautiful Harry." Luna sighed dreamily.

"She is." Harry said as she petted her gently, her scales were every colour of the rainbow, hence her name.

"She's a California Garter snake and her name's Rainbow. She's a little softy and loves cuddles."

"Can I hold her?" Ginny asked.

"Sure." Harry replied, draping the 3 foot snake around Ginny's shoulders. The snake instantly ducked it's head inside Ginny's shirt making her jump.

"It's cold."

"She's not cold, snakes are cold blooded, meaning, to be warm, they have to bask in the sun or absorb body heat from a warm blooded animal like us."

"She's not going to bite is she?" Ginny asked nervously.

"No, Rainbow's a little shy. Just relax, Gin."

At Harry's smile, Ginny relaxed as Rainbow made her way inside Ginny's shirt, stretching her body around Ginny's narrow waist.

"Shall I take them back now?" Kreacher wheezed.

"Just leave Mika, Rainbow and Midnight. They are the best behaved."

Kreacher quickly rounded up the others, showing no fear even as they hissed at him.

He handed Harry Midnight and Mika. The smaller snake wrapped himself around Harry's forearm while the deadly Midnight settled around his neck, her head resting just below his throat.

"How did you get so many?" Charlie asked.

He had retrieved Rainbow from Ginny and was petting her.

"Some have been abandoned and I've rescued them, some I bought and some just found me." Harry said as he sat. Severus and Ron were both weary of Midnight but moved back into position on the sofa as Harry assured them she was safe.

Hermione took a moment to observe the snake and the instant calming effect they had on Harry before dragging her eyes back to the book.

"…**Harry stared. Then he looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren't. He looked back at the snake and winked, too. The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Harry a look that said quite plainly: "I get that all the time."**

"**I know," Harry murmured through the glass, though he wasn't sure the snake could hear him. "It must be really annoying."**

**The snake nodded vigorously.**

There were a few quiet gasps, but Hermione ignored them.

"**Where do you come from, anyway?" Harry asked. The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Harry peered at it. Boa Constrictor, Brazil.**

"**Was it nice there?"**

**The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Harry read on: This specimen was bred in the zoo. "Oh, I see — so you've never been to Brazil?" As the snake shook its head, a deafening shout behind Harry made both of them jump. "DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!" Dudley came waddling toward them as fast as he could.**

"**Out of the way, you," he said, punching Harry in the ribs. Caught by surprise, Harry fell hard on the concrete floor. What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened — one second, Piers and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leapt back with howls of horror. Harry sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished. The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out onto the floor. People throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits.**

**As the snake slid swiftly past him, Harry could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come. … Thanksss, amigo."**

**The keeper of the reptile house was in shock."**

"Well that's an understatement…" Hermione said to herself.

"**But the glass," he kept saying, "where did the glass go?" The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong, sweet tea while he apologized over and over again. Piers and Dudley could only gibber. As far as Harry had seen, the snake hadn't done anything except snap playfully at their heels as it passed, but by the time they were all back in Uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling them how it had nearly bitten off his leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death.**

**But worst of all, for Harry at least, was Piers calming down enough to say, "Harry was talking to it, weren't you, Harry?"**

**Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before starting on Harry. He was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to say, "Go — cupboard — stay — no meals," before he collapsed into a chair, and Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy.**

**Harry lay in his dark cupboard much later, wishing he had a watch. He didn't know what time it was and he couldn't be sure the Dursleys were asleep yet. Until they were, he couldn't risk sneaking to the kitchen for some food."**

"Is that why you keep a lot of food in the dorms?" Neville asked shyly.

Harry just nodded but made no comment, his painfully thin body speaking for him.

"**He'd lived with the Dursleys almost ten years, ten miserable years, as long as he could remember, ever since he'd been a baby and his parents had died in that car crash. He couldn't remember being in the car when his parents had died. Sometimes, when he strained his memory during long hours in his cupboard, he came up with a strange vision: a blinding flash of green light and a burning pain on his forehead."**

No one commented on this but Harry said, almost to himself, "I told you I remembered."

"**This, he supposed, was the crash, though he couldn't imagine where all the green light came from. He couldn't remember his parents at all. His aunt and uncle never spoke about them, and of course he was forbidden to ask questions. There were no photographs of them in the house.**

**When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened; the Dursleys were his only family. Yet sometimes he thought (or maybe hoped) that strangers in the street seemed to know him. Very strange strangers they were, too. A tiny man in a violet top hat had bowed to him once while out shopping with Aunt Petunia and Dudley. After asking Harry furiously if he knew the man, Aunt Petunia had rushed them out of the shop without buying anything. A wild-looking old woman dressed all in green had waved merrily at him once on a bus. A bald man in a very long purple coat had actually shaken his hand in the street the other day and then walked away without a word. The weirdest thing about all these people was the way they seemed to vanish the second Harry tried to get a closer look. At school, Harry had no one. Everybody knew that Dudley's gang hated that odd Harry Potter in his baggy old clothes and broken glasses, and nobody liked to disagree with Dudley's gang."**

Hermione took a deep breath.

"That's the end of the chapter," she handed the book to Ron, "you should read next."

"Ok." Ron grumbled.

"**Chapter 3 – Letters From No One…"**


	18. Intellect

**Previously: **

_Hermione took a deep breath._

"_That's the end of the chapter," she handed the book to Ron, "you should read next."_

"_Ok." Ron grumbled._

"_**Chapter 3 – Letters From No One…"**_

**Now: **

Ron took a deep breath before diving in. He didn't like reading at the best of times and constantly moaned when Hermione gave him reading to do for his homework. But this… this was Harry's story, and he would take every word gratefully. He knew Harry was a reserved person and didn't talk much about his home life.

"**The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor earned Harry his longest-ever punishment. By the time he was allowed out of his cupboard again, the summer holidays had started and Dudley had already broken his new video camera, crashed his remote control airplane, and, first time out on his racing bike, knocked down old Mrs. Figg as she crossed Privet Drive on her crutches."**

"Vicious child…" Narcissa muttered.

Molly nodded in agreement.

"I have a question…" Hermione said.

Harry nodded, giving her permission to ask.

"How long were you in there?"

Harry gulped.

"Well… Dudley's birthday is June 23rd and I was allowed out a week before my birthday so… 3 weeks I think…."

Remus growled again but Sirius quieted him. No one commented on the length of time; most were plotting gruesome and bloody deaths for the people that abused Harry. Ron, sensing the shift in mood, quickly continued reading.

"**Harry was glad school was over, but there was no escaping Dudley's gang, who visited the house every single day. Piers, Dennis, Malcolm, and Gordon were all big and stupid, but as Dudley was the biggest and stupidest of the lot, he was the leader. The rest of them were all quite happy to join in Dudley's favorite sport: Harry Hunting."**

Severus glared at the book, and for once. Ron was glad looks couldn't kill. He certainly didn't want that look directed at him, even though it had been in the past.

"**This was why Harry spent as much time as possible out of the house, wandering around and thinking about the end of the holidays, where he could see a tiny ray of hope. When September came he would be going off to secondary school and, for the first time in Smeltings. Piers Polkiss was going there too. Harry, on the other hand, was going to Stonewall High, the local public school. Dudley thought this was very funny."**

Hermione had a pensive look on her face as she began speaking almost to herself.

"That's something I don't get about the magical world…"

"What Mione?" Ron asked.

"Well, magical children get no formal education before the age of 11… before they come to Hogwarts. I am sure some parents teach their children certain things, but it means there is a huge lack of knowledge, especially for those not raised in the magical world like me and Harry."

"I don't understand." Arthur said.

Harry took over for Hermione.

"In the muggle world, children begin schooling between 3 and 5, depending on the family. Some children will go to preschool very young and begin learning how to interact with other children before starting their formal education…"

Harry looked around and found many including Arthur, Narcissa and Sirius were listening intently.

"After starting nursery they learn the basics of reading, writing, mathematics and play. We then progress to primary school, which is giving us the skill for comprehensive or high school, which we start at the age of 11, when magical children start their formal education."

"So… what you're saying is non-magical children have at least 6 years more school than magical children…" Arthur said.

"More than 6." Hermione added.

"After we finish comprehensive school at the age of 16, a year younger than the magical schools we can go onto college and university to further our education. College is like comprehensive only slightly more advanced as it prepares you for university where you can get a degree…" Harry continued.

"Yes, and a degree is almost the equivalent to a Mastery in the wizarding world." Hermione added.

"Exactly. Take Hermione's parents, they both have degrees in order to practice their profession. I also have qualification well above what I should have at this age."

Many heads tilted in confusion.

"So… you remember I said I didn't do well in school because of Dudley…"

There were several nods.

"Some of my teachers noticed what I was doing and tutored me privately without the knowledge of my relatives. Due to my incredible memory, I soaked up every piece of information I was given and by the time I was getting ready to go to high school, I had already taken my GCSE's which are similar to OWL's and was in the middle of doing my A Levels, which are comparable to NEWT's, and between learning here, I have been finishing them. and in the next few months I will start my degrees."

Hermione gasped.

Most didn't understand the significance of that, not even Severus. Despite being raised in the muggle world, he has a magical parent so most of his schooling was home-schooling and was focused on the magical world.

"How many do you have?" Hermione questioned.

"I have 16 GCSE's, including all the basics, plus advanced mathematics and 3 languages, which are French, German and Japanese."

"Amazing…" Hermione whispered.

"I have 4 A Levels in Japanese, English Literature, History and Chemistry."

Hermione nodded eagerly.

"That's brilliant Harry."

"What are these subjects?" Sirius asked shyly.

"Japanese is obviously a language, English Literature is the study of various books, plays and poems, History is the muggle version of History of Magic and Chemistry is most comparable to Potions."

Sirius nodded, taking in the new information.

"What grades did you achieve, Mister Potter?" Minerva asked.

"In my GCSE's I achieved mainly A*'s and a few A's and one B… when you translate those into the grades we achieve here, I had mainly O's and one E."

Minerva looked shocked as Harry continued.

"In my A Levels I am hoping to achieve all A*'s as they are subjects I am extremely passionate about, especially Japanese and Chemistry."

"You've never shown any aptitude in my class." Severus said.

"Dumbing down… remember…" Harry said sarcastically.

"I love chemistry… finding the balance between the ingredients used… finding new combinations to create brand new solutions that can advance the knowledge we have of medicines… it's glorious." Harry mused.

Severus' mouth hung open. Harry's views on muggle chemistry perfectly mirrored how he felt about potions.

"What are you planning to do for your OWL's and NEWT's, Harry?" Ginny asked.

Harry thought about it for a moment.

"In my OWL's, I took all of the electives, which has only been done by a few students in Hogwarts history, and for my NEWT'S I am planning to take Ancient Runes, Arithmancy as it is like mathematics, History of Magic, Charms, DADA, Herbology, Transfiguration and Potions. Depending on how I do, I may also take a NEWT in Care of Magical Creatures since my ability as a Parselmouth might come in handy there. From there, depending on the grades I achieve, I aim to pursue 4 masteries in Charms, Transfiguration, DADA and Potions."

The teachers and most of the adults looked at Harry in awe.

"But… Mister Potter that workload is impossible…" Minerva said.

Hermione nodded in agreement; she had only been able to attempt that with a time turner.

"I did my OWL's didn't I?" Harry asked.

"But how? I had help and even I couldn't do it." Hermione said.

"Well for the classes that conflicted with others, Arithmancy which conflicted with Potions and Ancient Runes with conflicted with Charms, I spoke to Professors Babbling and Vector, and together we worked out a timetable, which meant I had their classes one to one before or after my normal classes, mainly disguised as detentions. Where that wasn't possible. I was assigned reading material and assignments to complete in my own time in the evenings, weekends and the like."

Harry paused for a moment.

"I have also started my NEWT's early as it would normally be impossible to take all the ones I want to in the time period allowed to students. In fact, next week I was planning to sit both my Arithmancy, Ancient Runes and Charms NEWT'S leaving me with History of Magic, DADA, Transfiguration and Potions to do in the normal time frame. After that I would immediately start working on my Potions and Charms Mastery as they require the most work, which I would hopefully complete before leaving Hogwarts."

Minerva stared at Harry before speaking.

"That would mean you would have 2 Masteries before leaving school, which would be a first in Hogwarts history, and if you did manage to achieve both of those you would also take Severus' title as the youngest Potions Master in Europe. Severus was 19, you would be under 17."

Harry smiled and nodded.

"That's the plan."

The room was utterly silent until Arthur spoke.

"Can I ask how you did this Harry? Normally if you performed poorly in class, you wouldn't be able to test out early… it is Ministry policy."

"Ahhhh…. I spoke to Kingsley and explained my situation, although I told him that I was dumbing myself down in class to fool Voldemort into thinking that I had no exceptional magical ability and needed to take my exams early with the utmost confidentiality and he agreed. It seems my fame is good for something." Harry explained with a smirk.

Everyone stared at Harry in utter shock. This boy they had all thought to be average was actually excelling beyond most of them. In fact, it was Minerva that worked out with his current qualifications, Harry was more qualified than some of the teachers currently employed by the school, those with Masteries like herself, Severus and Filius were excluded from that.

"On that note… I think it's time for Ron to start reading again…" He said quietly, nudging his friend in the ribs.

Ron shook his head trying to focus on the book before him as he began to read again.

"**Harry, on the other hand, was going to Stonewall High, the local public school. Dudley thought this was very funny.**

"**They stuff people's heads down the toilet the first day at Stonewall," he told Harry. "Want to come upstairs and practice?"**

"**No, thanks," said Harry. "The poor toilet's never had anything as horrible as your head down it — it might be sick." Then he ran, before Dudley could work out what he'd said."**

The twins chuckled but it was Ron who spoke.

"Seriously, Harry, we need to see more of this sassy Harry."

Harry blinked in shock.

"I think I can do that." He said with a smile.

"**One day in July, Aunt Petunia took Dudley to London to buy his Smeltings uniform, leaving Harry at Mrs. Figg's. Mrs. Figg wasn't as bad as usual. It turned out she'd broken her leg tripping over one of her cats, and she didn't seem quite as fond of them as before. She let Harry watch television and gave him a bit of chocolate cake that tasted as though she'd had it for several years.**

**That evening, Dudley paraded around the living room for the family in his brand-new uniform. Smeltings boys wore maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbockers, and flat straw hats called boaters. They also carried knobbly sticks, used for hitting each other while the teachers weren't looking. This was supposed to be good training for later life."**

Harry frowned at the book.

"Violence only leads to more violence… it teaches children nothing about what they need in later life."

No one commented on Harry's statement but many nodded in agreement, most surprising was Narcissa.

"**As he looked at Dudley in his new knickerbockers, Uncle Vernon said gruffly that it was the proudest moment of his life. Aunt Petunia burst into tears and said she couldn't believe it was her Ickle Dudleykins, he looked so handsome and grown-up. Harry didn't trust himself to speak. He thought two of his ribs might already have cracked from trying not to laugh."**

"I would too mate." Ron chuckled.

"Who are you kidding Ron, you'd be rolling around on the floor, laughing your head off."

"Can't argue with that."

"**There was a horrible smell in the kitchen the next morning when Harry went in for breakfast. It seemed to be coming from a large metal tub in the sink. He went to have a look. The tub was full of what looked like dirty rags swimming in gray water.**

"**What's this?" he asked Aunt Petunia. Her lips tightened as they always did if he dared to ask a question.**

"**Your new school uniform," she said.**

**Harry looked in the bowl again.**

"**Oh," he said, "I didn't realize it had to be so wet."**

This time it wasn't Ron or the twins that laughed, but Severus. Harry watched in awe as his deep, rich laughter filled the room, causing a few heads to turn in his direction. Sirius' eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head.

The other teachers just smiled at seeing the normally dour Potions Master coming out of his shell.

"Sarcasm doesn't work on Petunia, Harry."

"Well, I know that now!" Harry huffed.

"**Don't be stupid," snapped Aunt Petunia. "I'm dyeing some of Dudley's old things gray for you. It'll look just like everyone else's when I've finished."**

**Harry seriously doubted this, but thought it best not to argue. He sat down at the table and tried not to think about how he was going to look on his first day at Stonewall High — like he was wearing bits of old elephant skin, probably.**

**Dudley and Uncle Vernon came in, both with wrinkled noses because of the smell from Harry's new uniform. Uncle Vernon opened his newspaper as usual and Dudley banged his Smelting stick, which he carried everywhere, on the table. They heard the click of the mail slot and flop of letters on the doormat."**

Harry swallowed hard, remembering what came after.


End file.
